LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OP 

CAUFORN'A 
SANTA  CRUZ 


SANTA     CRUZ 


Mr.  Wendell  Simons 


SANTA  CRUZ 


A  JEWEL 

OF   THE   SEAS 


I  CAN  T  MAKE  LOVE  WITH  AN  AUDIENCE,  BUT  I  AM  GOING  TO  MAKE 
GOOD  ON  THE  REST  OF  MY  BOAST  " 

Page  205 


A  JEWEL 

OF  THE  SEAS 


BY 

JESSIE  KAUFMAN 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  IN  COLOR  BY 
GAYLE  PORTER  HOSKINS 


PHILADELPHIA     &     LONDON 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY 

1912 


COPYRIGHT,   1908,  BT  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 
COPYRIGHT,   1912,  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


PUBLISHED  SEPTEMBER  1912 


PRINTED   BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 

AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUARE  PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA,  U.S.A. 


PS 
352 


To 
A.  H. 

THIS   BOOK   IS   DEDICATED 
AND  TO 

"SANS  SOUCI," 

THE  PLACE  SHE  LOVED 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

"I  CAN'T   MAKE  LOVE  WITH  AN  AUDIENCE,  BUT  I  AM 
GOING  TO  MAKE  GOOD  ON  THE  REST  OF  MY  BOAST" 

Frontispiece 

HE  TOWERED  OVER  LITTLE  YONE  AND  I  THOUGHT  HE  WAS 
GOING  TO  STRIKE  HER 110 

"WHAT  WOULD  You  Do  IF  You  LOVED  A  GIRL  AND  THAT 
GIRL  WAS  IN  DANGER  ?  "  . .  .173 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 


i. 

"Is  she  pretty — this  wonderful  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler? "  asked  Mrs.  Kapua,  her  dark  face  aglow 
with  interest. 

"  I  dropped  my  anchor  by  her  at  the  hotel 
hop,"  said  Teddy  Skelton,  a  midshipman  on  the 
California.  "  She's  all  my  fancy  painted  her." 

"  You  must  have  a  vivid  imagination,"  said 
Mrs.  Kapua.  "  They  say  she  lays  it  on  heavy." 

"  A  complexion  is  so  unusual  in  Hawaii,  it 
makes  us  suspicious,"  I  interposed  in  mild  defence 
of  Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  We  are  apt  to  think  it's  too  good  to  be  true," 
assented  Frank. 

"  Have  some  sherbet,"  I  said,  and  there  was  a 
momentary  diversion  while  Tumi  passed  the  ice. 

I  really  did  not  think  it  fair  to  settle  Mrs. 
Chandler's  complexion  so  completely  and  I  hastened 
to  change  the  conversation. 

"  It  is  very  discouraging  to  be  told  that  it  is 
pure  madness  to  try  a  lawn  party  in  Honolulu 
and  run  the  risk  of  rain.  Mrs.  Thornton  says  I 
deserve  a  shower,  at  least,  for  my  temerity." 

7 


8  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  '  Never  mind  the  weather,  love,'  "  Teddy  Skel- 
ton  said,  with  more  sincerity  than  originality. 

"  How  personal  you  are !  "  I  murmured,  and  I 
met  Frank's  eye  instead  of  Teddy's;  I  suppose 
because  I  tried  hard  not  to.  "  The  Chandlers  and 
the  yacht  are  going  to  stay  here  for  quite  a  while, 
I  hear,"  I  began  hastily. 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Chandler  must  be  pretty  eh,  but 
somehow  a  pink  and  white  skin  does  not  suit  our 
climate,"  Mrs.  Kapua  has  been  told  that  she  is  just 
dark  enough  to  be  warm  looking.  "  It  is  nearly 
six.  I  must  go,"  she  added.  "  Your  day  at  home 
is  always  so  pleasant.  Are  you  coming  my  way, 
Teddy?" 

Teddy  was.  The  navy  generally  went  Mrs. 
Kapua's  way.  She  stepped  into  her  carriage  with 
a  grace  all  her  own,  and  a  generous  glimpse  of 
lace  fluff  and  open-work  stockings. 

"  Aloha,"  she  called  back  as  they  drove  off. 

"Aloha/9  echoed  Teddy  Skelton.  He  had 
almost  caught  the  inflection.  It  was  time  to  learn 
who  was  responsible. 

As  Tumi  came  in  with  her  tray  to  take  away 
the  empty  sherbet  glasses,  Frank  helped  himself 
to  another  piece  of  cake  and  told  her  it  was  "  plenty 
good." 

Tumi's  satisfaction  was  unmistakable.  "  Very 
much  thank  you,"  she  said,  with  her  best  Japanese 
bow. 

Tumi   always    insisted   upon   making   the   cake 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  9 

herself,  declaring  that  the  cook's  was  not  good 
enough,  being  "all  same  pa-ke."  Pa-Ice  being 
Hawaiian  for  Chinese,  this  insult  relegated  the  cake 
to  mere  dough. 

"  This  kind  only  simple  life  kind,"  Tumi  mod- 
estly disclaimed.  "  Put  icing  on  top  more  better." 

Frank  assured  her  that  it  could  not  be  im- 
proved upon,  and  again  saying :  "  Very  much  thank 
you,"  she  went  off  down  the  lanai  steps,  stopping  at 
the  bottom  to  put  on  the  sandals  she  always  left 
outside. 

Frank  sat  down  on  the  railing  near  my  chair, 
seemingly  lost  in  thought  as  he  gazed  at  the  moun- 
tains in  the  distance,  delicately  colored  as  the  sun 
bathed  them  in  the  pink  glow  of  the  late  after- 
noon. The  warm  air  blew  softly  in  to  us,  faintly 
sweet  with  the  perfume  of  the  stephanotis  vine  that 
grew  up  the  trellis. 

"  Do  you  think  Hawaii  will  ever  stop  welcoming 
the  stranger?  "  asked  Frank  slowly,  at  last,  evi- 
dently not  voicing  his  thoughts.  "  The  key  note 
of  life  in  the  Islands  is  hospitality,  born  in  the 
past,  when  mails  and  visitors  were  rare.  But  to- 
day our  indiscriminate  hospitality  is  only  a  bad 
habit." 

I  heaved  a  sigh.  "  Half  the  charm  of  the 
Islands  is  gone,"  I  protested.  "  We  have  only  the 
climate  and  our  hospitality  left." 

"  Well,  when  is  your  garden  party  for  the 
Chandlers?"  asked  Frank. 


10  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  It's  true,"  I  resumed  irrelevantly,  "  her  eye- 
brows seem  blackened,  but  of  course  they  may  have 
been  white,  and  so — you  see " 

"  Of  course,  of  course,"  Frank  agreed.  "  Wo- 
man, lovely  woman,  may  have  a  prejudice  against 
the  artificial,  but  white  eyebrows  will  conquer  the 
most  bigoted." 

"  Mrs.  Thornton  is  going  to  give  them  a  break- 
fast, Mrs.  Elkins  a  dinner " 

"  The  same  old  routine ;  you  needn't  go  on. 
And  as  for  the  menus,  Mrs.  Thornton  will  have  cold 
fish  with  mayonnaise  sauce,  Mrs.  Elkins  will  have 
canned  oyster  soup  with  the  oysters  calculated,  five 
to  guests,  three  to  the  family " 

"  And  they  say  that  a  woman's  mind  runs  to 
small  details !  "  I  exclaimed. 

Frank  laughed.  "  It  does  the  bear  good  to 
growl,"  he  said.  "  This  growl  is  all  sugar,  any 
way " 

"  It  sounds  sweet,"  I  interposed. 

"  With  one  plantation  after  another  shutting 
down  its  dividends,  I  must  say  the  outlook  is  bad. 
Lawyers  don't  make  money  in  times  of  financial  de- 
pression ;  at  least,  young  lawyers  don't.  The  lucky 
chap  who  will  be  retained  by  Mr.  Thornton,  in  the 
case  of  Aloha  Plantation  against  Leiilima  for  the 
right  of  water  for  irrigation  from  Cacao  Creek, 
will  have  enough  to  float  him  for  a  year,  besides  a 
small  fortune  for  a  fee  at  the  end.  But  the  fellow 
who  is  lucky  enough  to  get  that  case  will  be  a  man 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  11 

who  has '  made  his  mark  and  his  pile.  Well,  the 
rest  of  us  are  in  the  same  boat,  but  we  can't  all  sail 
along  until  sugar  goes  up  and  a  safe  harbor  is  in 
sight.  Some  of  us  will  be  swamped." 

Frank  and  I  have  been  friends  always.  This 
means  much  in  Hawaii,  where  we  grow  up  together 
and  have  little  chance  later  to  drift  apart.  I 
stretched  out  my  hand  and  drew  it  back.  Frank 
was  gazing  gloomily  at  the  floor  and  did  not  see  the 
gesture.  A  man  claps  his  chum  on  the  back  and 
says  heartily,  "  Cheer  up,  old  fellow !  "  Why  can't 
a  girl  indulge  in  the  more  feminine  method  of  slip- 
ping her  hand  sympathetically  into  a  man's,  and 
saying  twice  as  much  to  the  same  effect?  Why  on 
earth  did  I  hesitate?  It  was  impossible  now  to  be 
natural  or  spontaneous.  Mrs.  Thornton's  remark 
this  morning  when  I  was  going  out  her  gate  was  run- 
ning through  my  mind : 

"  Remember,  young  lady,  Hawaii  does  not  be- 
lieve in  platonic  friendship." 

But  Mrs.  Thornton,  in  the  face  of  evidence, 
would  have  to  believe  in  platonic  friendship.  If 
Frank — but  of  course  if  it  had  been  impossible  in 
the  past,  if  financial  reasons  had  been  the  cause, 
it  was  doubly  impossible  now ;  or  he  would  think  so. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  I  murmured  tritely. 

"  Thank  you."  Frank  spoke  with  a  degree  of 
intensity  warmer  than  my  simple  words  seemed  to 
call  for. 

"  To  go  back  to  your  lawn  party,"  he  resumed 


12  A  JEWEL  OP  THE  SEAS 

abruptly,  "  I  don't  want  you  to  misunderstand  me ; 
hospitality  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  charms  of 
the  Islands,  and  of  course  the  Chandlers  are  all 
right — my  remarks  were  not  apropos  of  them — 
but  this  round  of  entertainments  for  strangers  does 
become  monotonous  when  one  isn't  in  the  mood." 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  know,"  I  said  somewhat  impatiently. 
I  had  lost  interest  in  the  lawn  party. 

"  Wh-o-o-o !  Wh-o-o-o !  "  called  a  voice  from  the 
garden  walk. 

"Wh-o-o-o!   Wh-o-o-o!  "  I  answered  back. 

"Anybody  at  home?  "  asked  Mrs.  Thornton. 

"  Very  much  at  home,  thanks,"  Frank  replied, 
running  down  the  steps  to  greet  her. 

Mrs.  Thornton  came  into  the  lanai  with  him, 
laughing  and  talking.  She  looked  handsome  with 
her  fair  coloring  set  off  by  a  becoming  black  hat, 
her  blue  eyes  alight  as  though  she  had  been  having 
a  good  time  and  the  recollection  still  lingered. 

"  Here's  your  chaperone,"  she  said  to  me. 
"  Your  father  said  I  was  to  divide  the  honors  with 
old  Tumi  while  he  was  away,  you  know." 

"  All  right,  I'll  be  good,"  I  said.  "  Sit  down 
and  tell  us  all  about  the  Chandlers." 

"  Well,  I'm  going  to  have  a  breakfast  for  them 
Sunday  at  one;  you'll  both  come,  won't  you?  I 
counted  on  you  of  course."  Mrs.  Thornton  took 
out  a  memorandum  pad.  "  I'll  add  you  to  my  list. 
Everything  on  board  is  perfect,  just  perfect,  isn't 
it?  They  call  her  'Jewel  of  the  Seas,'  did  you 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  13 

know?  I  told  them  that  Honolulu  was  our  Jewel 
of  the  Seas,  and  we  had  the  name  first.  The  Com- 
modore was  very  polite  and  he  said  the  Gelda  con- 
sidered it  an  honor  to  be  second." 

"  What  makes  him  a  Commodore? "  asked 
Frank. 

"  He's  Commodore  of  the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club, 
he  told  me;  the  Gelda  flies  the  flag  of  the  Club. 
Did  you  meet  the  Doctor?  They  spoke  of  him, 
but  he  was  on  shore.  And  isn't  the  Captain  a  pic- 
ture? We  wrote  in  the  guest  book  and  saw  the 
curios  from  every  part  of  the  world,  and  the  steam 
laundry, — my,  isn't  it  all  luxurious !  " 

"  What  wealth  it  must  take  to  run  a  yacht  like 
that!  "I  said. 

"I  should  think  so;  money  must  flow  just  as 
the  champagne  does,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  I 
never  saw  anything  like  it ;  every  time  any  one  called, 
they  opened  two  bottles  at  once." 

"  Trying  to  make  a  good  impression  at  the 
start  perhaps,"  said  Frank. 

"Oh,  is  he  not  jealous!"  Mrs.  Thornton  ex- 
claimed. "  By  the  way,  what  day  is  the  lawn 
party?  Thursday?  I  wonder  if  she  is  made  up; 
yery  artistic  if  she  is ;  you  really  couldn't  be  sure; 
I  don't  even  know  why  I  suspect  her." 

As  Mrs.  Thornton  paused,  Frank  took  up  his 
hat. 

"  Wait  a  moment  and  I'll  walk  along  with  you, 
Frank.  I  only  stopped  in  to  ask  about  the  lawn 


14  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

party.  I'll  get  my  cook  to  make  some  cake  and 
send  it  over." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,"  I  said.  "  Tumi  thinks  store 
cake  is  such  a  disgrace  that  I  wouldn't  dare  have 
any  that  is  not  home-made.  She's  going  to  be  a 
very  stern  chaperone." 

"  That's  good,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton  cheerfully. 


n. 

THE  arrival  of  the  Gelda,  the  largest,  finest  and 
speediest  yacht  that  had  ever  anchored  in  our  har- 
bor, had  awakened  no  small  amount  of  interest  in 
Honolulu.  From  one  side  of  the  Island  to  the  other 
and  in  all  circles  of  society,  there  was  little  else 
talked  of.  Every  one  wanted  to  see  the  Gelda,  from 
the  crews  and  officers  of  the  ships,  who  were  enthusi- 
astic over  her  good  points,  to  the  landsmen,  not  to 
speak  of  the  landswomen,  who  perhaps  were  more 
interested  in  the  good  points  of  her  owners. 

The  Commodore  had  become  well  known  and 
popular  in  an  incredibly  short  while.  He  spent 
money  freely,  had  a  cordial  and  friendly  manner 
with  every  one,  high  and  low,  and  had  learned  to 
say:  "  Aloha  "  to  the  Hawaiians,  instead  of  passing 
them  with  the  stare  of  curiosity,  too  usual  to  the 
tourist.  As  his  launch  approached  the  dock,  the 
native  boat  boys  began  to  grin  and  to  cluster  about, 
in  a  manner  that  testified  to  satisfactory  tips,  and 
farther  along  he  was  besieged  by  the  lei  sellers  of 
both  sexes. 

The  greeting  that  the  Commodore  received  on 
the  wharf  was  only  a  forerunner  of  what  he  was  to 
find  wherever  he  went.  The  shop  keepers  all  knew 
him  and  if  he  had  not  yet  patronized  each  one  of 
them,  he  had  at  least  shown  an  interest  in  their 
wares,  flattering  from  such  a  traveller  as  he  and 
holding  out  every  encouragement  for  future  pur- 

15 


16  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

chases.  At  the  Club,  he  was  welcomed  even  by  the 
more  conservative  members,  who  were  apt  to  hold 
back  until  the  newcomer  had  proved  himself  really 
desirable. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  not  so  easy  to  get  acquainted 
with.  Although  those  of  us  who  had  called  on  her 
had  found  her  a  gracious  hostess,  still  there  was  an 
element  of  reserve  about  her. 

It  would  have  taken  us  a  long  time,  I  suppose, 
to  learn  as  much  as  we  knew  about  the 
Chandlers,  but  our  local  newspapers  were  full  of 
the  wonders  of  the  "  Millionaire's  Yacht,"  renowned 
throughout  the  yachting  world,  the  Commodore's 
purchase  of  her,  and  the  circumstances  which  had 
led  to  his  becoming  Commodore  of  the  Atlantic 
Yacht  Club.  I  was  more  interested  in  the  personal 
paragraphs  about  the  Chandlers.  One  of  them 
stated  that  the  much  written-up  society  wedding 
of  this  favored  scion  of  an  aristocratic  and  wealthy 
New  York  family,  which  had  filled  the  papers  some 
years  ago,  would  no  doubt  be  recalled  with  this 
visit  of  John  Delafield  Chandler  and  his  wife,  to 
our  shores. 

I  telephoned  to  Mrs.  Thornton  as  soon  as  I  had 
read  this,  but  although  John  Delafield  Chandler  was 
a  familiar  name  to  her,  she  could  not  remember  any 
of  the  details  of  the  wedding. 

I  knew  that  every  one  I  had  invited  would  be 
sure  to  come  to  my  tea.  I  felt  almost  as  important 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  17 

as  my  distinguished  guests  and  I  must  have  asked 
Tumi  a  dozen  times  if  she  was  sure  there  would  be 
enough  cake. 

The  afternoon  did  not  seem  to  take  a  start  until 
the  Chandlers  arrived,  although  the  lawn  looked 
festive  with  groups  of  people  scattered  about,  the 
women  in  gowns  of  transparent  summer  texture,  the 
men  in  white  duck,  and  every  one  decorated  with 
leis.  It  is  remarkable  what  an  addition  are  these 
floral  wreaths  of  Hawaii  to  the  festive  aspect  of  our 
entertainments. 

Mrs.  Thornton  had  sent  Suki,  her  maid,  over  to 
help.  She  made  a  quaint  little  picture  in  her 
kimono,  and  gay  obi,  as  she  stood  at  the  end  of  the 
lawn  with  a  basket  of  bright  carnation  leis  which 
she  tied  around  the  neck  of  each  new  arrival. 

The  tea  table  was  under  an  old  hau  tree,  the 
pride  of  the  Beach,  a  huge  umbrella  of  interlacing 
boughs  covered  with  big,  green  leaves.  The  heavy 
branches,  supported  by  posts,  droop  towards  the 
sea,  shutting  off  the  afternoon  glare,  never  more 
brilliant  than  at  this  time  of  day  when  the  sun 
shines  aslant  the  waters,  and  thousands  on  thousands 
of  tiny  pin-head  scintillations  are  twinkling  in  daz- 
zling reflection.  A  little  breeze,  with  a  hint  of 
sea-weed  pungency  to  show  from  where  it  blew,  rose, 
and  died  as  though  discouraged  when  met  by  the 
refreshing  trade  wind  that  crept  over  the  mountains 
and  rustled  through  the  fronds  of  the  palms. 
2 


18  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

There  was  a  perceptible  lull  in  the  hum  of  con- 
versation as  Commodore  and  Mrs.  Chandler  alighted 
from  their  carriage  and  walked  slowly  across  the 
lawn.  The  woman  newcomer  generally  has  subtle 
touches  of  toilet  that  are  novel  to  the  resident  of 
Hawaii,  and  this  was  more  than  usually  apparent 
to  me  as  I  went  forward  to  meet  them. 

"  Oh,  this  beautiful  lei!  "  cried  Mrs.  Chandler, 
while  the  Commodore  bent  over  my  hand,  murmuring 
graceful  sentences.  "  I  shall  never  be  without  one 
while  I'm  in  the  Islands !  " 

It  was  becoming.  The  pink  flowers  were  almost 
the  color  of  her  cheeks,  and  the  deeper  tint  of 
her  lips,  the  grey  of  her  eyes  and  the  transparent 
pale  blue  and  cream  of  a  gown  that  was  simple,  but 
French  simple,  as  every  woman  would  recognize 
at  a  glance,  toned  in  with  an  effect  which  her  big 
white  picture  hat  completed.  Mrs.  Chandler  was 
pretty,  but  above  all,  she  aroused  attention  through 
an  intangible  air  that  promised  something  in 
reserve. 

"  I  wonder  if  she  has  lived  all  she  looks,  or  if 
she  lives  to  look  as  if  she  had,"  Frank  whispered  in 
my  ear,  as  Mrs.  Thornton  claimed  the  attention  of 
the  Commodore  and  his  wife. 

"  If  she  is  made  up,  it  is  wonderfully  done,"  I 
returned,  in  a  tone  as  careful.  "  I  don't  believe  she 
can  be." 

"  Mrs.  Chandler  wants  you  to  come  on  the 
Gelda  to-morrow  to  tea,"  said  the  Commodore,  turn- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  19 

ing  to  Frank  and  me.  "  About  five  o'clock.  The 
launch  will  be  at  the  wharf  to  meet  you." 

We  thanked  the  Commodore  and  assured  him 
that  we  were  delighted  to  accept  the  invitation  and 
would  look  forward  to  a  pleasant  afternoon  on  the 
Gelda. 

The  Commodore  was  overjoyed  by  our  accept- 
ance and  assured  us,  in  return,  that  the  hospitality 
of  the  Gelda  could  be  but  a  feeble  attempt  in  com- 
parison with  the  hospitality  in  general  of  Hawaii, 
and  the  present  function  in  particular.  He  did 
not  stop  here,  but  continued  with  a  regular 
panegyric  on  our  wonderful  seashore  with  its 
beautiful  homes  only  five  miles  from  the  heart  of 
Honolulu,  our  out-door  life  on  the  idealized  veranda 
we  called  the  lanai,  our  moonlight,  our  land  of  trade 
winds  and  sunshine. 

It  was  now  time  for  us  to  say  something,  but  in 
my  mind  was  nothing  except  the  thought  of  what 
that  something  could  be.  This  seemed  to  freeze 
all  other  thoughts — though  a  thaw  would  be  more 
likely  in  the  tropics. 

Of  course  what  Frank  was  thinking,  I  could  not 
tell,  but  as  he  says :  "A  woman's  idea  of  conversation 
is  to  talk ;  a  man  often  thinks  a  pause  is  speaking." 

I  looked  up  at  Commodore  Chandler,  and  he 
looked  down  at  me.  He  was  very  tall ;  a  man  of  fine 
physique,  good-looking,  with  clear  cut  features,  dark 
hair  slightly  tinged  with  -gray,  and  handsome  eyes 
that  met  yours  boldly,  squarely,  even  to  a  suggestion 


20  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

of  defiance.  And  my  eyes  fell  beneath  his  direct 
glance,  while  I  reflected  that  he  must  have  acquired 
it  through  steering  the  Gelda  to  port  after  port 
around  the  world. 

"  I  see  you  allow  smoking,"  said  the  Commodore. 
He  took  from  his  pocket  a  curious  silver  case,  and, 
after  offering  Frank  a  cigarette,  lit  one  himself. 

"  What  a  beauty !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  It  is  very  rare,"  assented  the  Commodore. 
"  It  was  given  to  me  by  a  Russian  prince,  a  diplo- 
mat in  Japan.  When  you  come  on  board  to-mor- 
row I'll  show  you  some  of  our  curios.  In  Samoa 
I  found  a  few  that  I  treasure  very  highly." 

"  Samoa  was  your  last  port?  " 

"  Yes ;  the  Gelda  has  seen  about  every  country 
on  the  map  now,  but  I  am  disappointed  in  my  trip. 
I  was  disappointed  at  the  start  and  I  haven't  got 
over  it.  My  plan  before  I  left  New  York  was  to 
organize  an  expedition  to  explore  unknown  rivers 
and  unvisited  countries.  I  had  arranged  to  carry 
with  me  a  company  of  writers,  scientists,  and  pho- 
tographers, who  were  to  furnish  descriptive  articles 
to  a  syndicate  of  publishers.  Everything  was 
arranged  when  Mrs.  Chandler's  health  demanded  a 
prolonged  sea  trip,  and  I  gave  the  whole  thing  up. 
I  must  say  I  feel  repaid."  And  the  Commodore 
gazed  appreciatively  at  his  pretty  wife. 

"  Is  Mrs.  Chandler  quite  well  again  ?  "  I  politely 
.questioned. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  21 

"Are  you  talking  about  me?"  Mrs.  Chandler 
asked.  "  My  health?  Oh,  I  never  was  sick  a  day 
in  my  life." 

"  Dear  little  optimist !  "  murmured  the  Commo- 
dore. 

"  Let  me  introduce  you  to  Mrs.  Kapua,"  I  pro- 
posed, as  I  saw  her  in  the  distance.  "  Would  you 
mind  walking  across  to  the  tea  table  with  me?  She 
is  over  there." 

"Mrs.  Kapua?"  The  Commodore's  tone  was 
interested. 

"  Kapua "  said  the  Commodore's  wife. 

"What  an  odd  name!" 

"  Ka — pua  means  *  The  Flower,'  "  I  explained. 
"  We  always  like  to  have  every  one  meet  Mrs. 
Kapua,  she  is  so  unusual.  She  has  just  enough 
Hawaiian  in  her  to  give  her  the  attraction  that  the 
rest  of  us  lack." 

"Oh,  really?"  Mrs.  Chandler  was  beginning 
to  be  interested  too. 

Mrs.  Kapua  looked  particularly  dashing  in  a 
lacy,  white  gown  with  a  big  hat  that  drooped  on 
one  side  and  flared  back  from  her  luxuriant  hair  with 
a  picturesque  sweep.  Falling  from  her  shoulders, 
almost  to  the  hem  of  her  skirt,  she  wore  a  lei  of  red 
carnations  strung,  with  their  petals  loosened,  into 
a  thick  rope  of  color.  With  her  dark  hair,  her  dark, 
warmly-tinted  skin,  with  her  upturned  mouth  parted 
in  a  smile  that  showed  a  glimpse  of  her  exquisite 


22  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

teeth,  faultlessly  white  and  even,  with  her  tall,  grace- 
ful figure,  she  could  not  fail  to  produce  an  im- 
pression. 

She  greeted  the  Chandlers  with  her  pretty  gra- 
ciousness  of  manner. 

"  We  are  so  glad  to  have  your  yacht  nestling  like 
a  little  white  bird  in  our  harbor,"  she  said.  "  Ha- 
waii is  always  hospitable  eh,  but  her  heart  really 
belongs  to  the  sailor,  you  know." 

Mrs.  Kapua's  glance  went  from  Mrs.  Chandler 
to  the  Commodore  and  rested  there.  And,  in 
appreciation  of  the  metaphor,  I  lost  sight  of  just 
where  the  nestling  came  in.  But  the  nestling  in 
Hawaii  is  not  apt  to  be  metaphorical. 

I  introduced  Mrs.  Chandler  to  Guy  Selby,  who 
was  hovering  near  us,  waiting  for  a  word  with  me, 
and  then  to  one  after  another  of  the  California  offi- 
cers, as  they  came  along. 

Mrs.  Chandler  sized  each  one  up  with  a  quick 
look  before  she  spoke.  Perhaps  she  didn't  intend 
to  risk  the  renewal  of  some  former  acquaintance 
well  dropped.  Anyway,  she  looked  ready  to  turn 
her  back  at  any  moment,  if  advisable. 

I  felt  that  the  duties  of  a  hostess  were  trying  as 
I  saw  Mrs.  Thornton  and  Frank  talking  together. 
The  Chandlers  would  be  thoroughly  discussed  before 
I  could  rejoin  them.  But  I  smiled  bravely  and 
held  to  my  post. 

"  It's  nice  to  be  so  attractive,"  I  said  to  Frank, 
later,  when  I  had  a  breathing  spell. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  23 

"  It  is  indeed,"  assented  Frank,  with  undis- 
guised sincerity. 

"  I  mean  Mrs.  Chandler,"  I  explained,  half 
laughing. 

"  Of  course,"  said  Frank  calmly. 

"  Well,  I  call  that  small." 

"  I  call  it  agreeing." 

"  I  don't  think  she's  anything  at  all  but  a  snob," 
I  resumed  petulantly.  "  She's  mentioned  half  of 
New  York's  four  hundred;  and  when  Mrs.  Kapua 
asked  her  if  she  had  met  a  Lieutenant  Sayers  in 
Tampa  she  replied, *  Oh,  we  only  met  generals ! ' 

Frank  laughed  as  heartily  as  though  every  plan- 
tation in  the  Islands  had  declared  a  dividend. 

"  I'll  come  around  to-night,"  he  said  hurriedly, 
as  Commodore  Chandler  started  in  our  direction 
with  the  evident  intention  of  joining  us,  "  and  hear 
the  rest,"  he  added. 

And  I  recalled  a  remark  Frank  had  once  made: 

"  When  a  man  is  fertile  in  reasons  for  calling 
on  a  girl  he's  interested,  but  when  he  ceases  to 
explain  he's  in  love." 

I  really  didn't  need  the  explanation  either. 


in. 

FRANK  had  not  seemed  very  enthusiastic  about 
going  on  the  Gelda  and  he  intimated  plainly  that  if 
it  were  not  for  me,  no  afternoon  tea  would  ever  see 
him.  As  this  compliment  was  distinct,  I  had  put 
on  the  gown  I  knew  he  liked  the  best  of  all. 

After  I  joined  him  on  the  lanai  and  had  been 
with  him  fully  five  minutes,  he  was  still  gazing  at 
me.  I  decided  to  get  another  soft,  creamy  gown, 
made  just  the  same  way.  Suki  had  handed  me  my 
gloves  and  assured  me  I  was :  "  Too-o-o — much 
pretty."  I  couldn't  help  wondering  what  Frank 
was  going  to  say. 

It  did  seem  superfluous  when  he  started  by  ask- 
ing me  if  I  was  ready.  Perhaps  the  jailer  who 
unlocks  the  murderer's  cell,  preparatory  to  escort- 
ing him  to  the  gallows,  employs  much  the  same 
tone;  it  sounded  inevitable. 

I  laughed  and  sat  down  in  the  hammock. 

"  Have  all  the  laborers  on  all  the  plantations 
gone  on  a  strike, — or  is  it  just  the  tea?  "  I  asked. 

This  made  him  smile — faintly — and  he  hastened 
to  assure  me  that  something  bright  and  wonderful 
had  come  into  his  life.  These  were  strong  words 
for  a  man  to  employ  in  a  voice  replete  with  gloom. 

The  bright  and  wonderful  happening  was  soon 
unfolded  to  me.  Frank  had  been  offered  a  position 
in  Japan  to  sell  a  new  kind  of  cash  register  for  a 
firm  with  a  big  money  backing.  He  was  to  have  a 

24 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  25 

chance  to  buy  shares,  besides  receiving  a  good 
salary,  having  all  his  expenses  paid  and  a  per- 
centage on  the  sales. 

I  said  nothing  and,  after  a  moment  Frank  went 
on  to  tell  me  how  dead  sick  he  was  of  the  bluff 
he  was  putting  up.  His  rent,  his  stenographer,  his 
telephone,  in  fact  his  office  expenses  altogether, 
were  beyond  anything  he  had  made  in  months,  or 
ever  hoped  to  make  again;  he  was  steadily  going 
behind  hand. 

"  And  you  are  actually  thinking  seriously  of 
throwing  your  education  to  the  winds,"  I  broke  in, 
"  of  giving  up  your  practice " 

"  Practice !  "  muttered  Frank  "  I  have  none. 
The  few  clients  I  have  will  settle  up  some  day,  when 
sugar  goes  up  maybe,  but  in  the  meantime,  what? 
The  lawyer  and  the  doctor  are  always  paid  last, 
and  I  can't  wait.  If  I  go  away  and  make  some 
money,  I  will  be  another  man;  I'll  be  free,  free  to 
go  ahead — and  then, — and  then " 

I  waited.  Perhaps  Frank  thought  his  inflec- 
tion could  not  be  misunderstood;  perhaps  the  look 
that  accompanied  it  was  all  he  considered  permis- 
sible to  a  limited  income.  He  was  silent. 

"  And  then,"  I  said,  with  an  icy  calm,  "  and  then 
you  will  do  just  exactly  what  other  men  have 
planned  to  do  before  you;  you  will  return  to 
Honolulu." 

"  Yes,"  said  Frank  eagerly,  with  his  eyes  on  me. 

"And   you   will   find   that   Honolulu   has   next 


26  A  JEWEL1  OF  THE  SEAS 

waited  for  you.  Another  man  will  have  taken  your 
place — your  office  I  mean,  of  course." 

"  Do  you  mean  that?  "  asked  Frank.  "  Do  you 
really  mean  that  I  would  be  out  of  sight,  out  of 
mind?" 

"  I  do,"  I  answered  firmly.  "The  man  who  leaves 
his  work  at  home  and  goes  off  to  float  lazily  into  a 
get-rich-quick  scheme  has  no  stability ;  business  men 
fight  shy  of  him;  he  is  just  the  sort  of  man  to  be 
satisfied  with  a  toddling  doll  in  a  pretty  kimono. 
He  might  return  to  his  home,  but  never  would  he 
find  a  right-minded  girl  waiting  for  him.  Never 
again  would  his  clients  take  their  cases  to  him.  His 
chance  would  be  gone." 

Judging  from  Frank's  expression,  he  was  trying 
to  get  his  business  and  heart  interests  disentangled, 
and  I  was  glad  when  Tumi  came  in  to  remind  us 
that  we  were  due  at  the  wharf  at  five  o'clock.  Here  we 
were,  enjoying  the  view  of  sea  and  beach  at  Waikiki 
as  unconcernedly  as  though  half  an  hour's  drive 
was  not  before  us. 

"  More  better  you  go  wiki  wiki"  (quick)  said 
Tumi,  pointing  to  the  clock,  for  Tumi  shared  the 
curiosity  of  every  one  in  Honolulu  in  the  distin- 
guished strangers  and  would  be  sure  to  ask  me  all 
sorts  of  interested  questions  about  them,  when  I 
got  home. 

The  Gelda  was  lying  a  bit  off  in  "  Naval  Row," 
a  strong  contrast  to  the  formidable  California  loom- 
ing up  beyond  like  a  huge,  threatening  power  ever 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  27 

on  watch,  ever  ready  to  defend,  ever  concerned  with 
the  serious  affairs  of  life,  while  the  little  yacht  that 
existed  only  to  dance  on  the  ocean  wave,  flaunted  her 
gaily  colored  lanterns,  and  her  bright  awnings, 
and  her  snowy  paint,  and  her  dainty,  small  boats  in 
the  face  of  her  uncompromising  neighbor. 

We  were  met  at  the  wharf  by  the  Gelda's  launch, 
flying  the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club  flag  and  manned  by 
sailors  in  spotless  white  and  blue  suits,  with  Gelda 
cap  ribbons.  The  Captain  stood,  a  picturesque 
figure  in  duck  uniform,  waiting  to  help  us  up  the 
ladder. 

The  Commodore  greeted  us  with  heartiness. 

"  The  ship's  yours,"  he  declared  gallantly  to  me, 
as  we  walked  along  to  where  Mrs.  Chandler  was 
waiting  to  receive  us. 

This  sounded  so  whole-souled  and  spontaneous 
that  I  felt  as  if  I  were  in  danger  of  having  my 
head  turned,  but  it  seemed  to  sound  just  as  well 
when  I  overheard  the  Commodore  whisper  it  to  Mrs. 
Kapua. 

The  deck  was  delightfully  cool  and  shady,  with 
its  awnings  brought  just  low  enough  to  protect  one 
^rom  the  glare,  but  open  sufficiently  to  admit  the 
refreshing  breeze  that  swept  across  the  waters.  All 
sorts  of  comfortable  steamer  chairs  with  every 
variety  of  softly  tinted,  silken  cushions,  convenient 
tables,  interesting  looking  books  and  magazines, 
artistic  vases  filled  with  flowers,  odd-looking  ash 
trays,  handsome  cigarette  and  cigar  boxes,  bonbon- 


28  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

meres,  and  an  exquisite  tea  service,  added  to  the 
general  air  of  luxury  and  good  taste  that  pervaded 
the  deck  of  the  Gelda.  It  was  an  ideal  lounging 
spot,  a  place  to  rest,  and  dream,  and  wile  away  the 
hours  in  a  quiet  ease,  unknown  in  the  busy  whirl  of 
life  on  shore,  even  in  the  tropics. 

We  were  shown  all  over  the  yacht  and  found 
her  a  miniature  floating  palace.  The  men  said  she 
was  a :  "  Neat  little  craft,"  and  the  women  said 
they  would  be  willing  to  risk  sea  sickness  when 
they  saw  her  darling  cabins  with  broad  brass  beds 
instead  of  the  usual  narrow  bunks,  convenient  dress- 
ing rooms,  and  bath  rooms  shining  with  white  tiles 
and  silver  fittings,  polished  as  if  fresh  from  a 
jeweller's  hands.  In  Mrs.  Chandler's  bath  room 
the  water  flowed  from  the  bills  of  gracefully 
moulded,  golden  swans,  that  formed  the  faucets. 
The  Captain's  quarters  included  a  pretty  dining 
room  and  a  library.  The  Captain  himself  was  a 
blonde  six-footer  with  the  immaculate  appearance 
of  a  naval  officer  on  duty. 

We  came  out  on  deck,  at  last,  to  tea.  This  bev- 
erage proved  to  be,  for  the  most  part,  champagne, 
and  Mrs.  Thornton  had  not  exaggerated  when  she 
said  it  flowed. 

While  we  were  drinking  it  and  eating  delicious 
sandwiches  of  real  Russian  caviare,  sent  by  the 
Czar  when  the  Gelda  was  in  Russia,  Mrs.  Chandler 
showed  us  her  photographs  of  princes  she  had 
known  in  the  different  countries  where  the  Gelda 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  29 

had  anchored.  I  was  particularly  interested,  as 
I  was  making  a  collection  of  photographs  myself — 
though  I  did  not  confine  myself  to  royalty.  Last, 
but  of  course  not  least,  was  our  own  Prince  Maluna. 
I  quite  lost  my  heart  to  one  of  them,  a  broad- 
shouldered,  athletic  man  with  an  air  that  was  dash- 
ing,— rakish,  perhaps — and  a  hint  of  melancholy  in 
his  eyes. 

"  He  looks  so  familiar,"  I  said  to  Frank. 

I  turned  the  picture  over  to  see  if  the  photogra- 
pher's address  would  give  a  clue  to  the  prince's 
nationality.  Across  the  back  was  scrawled,  "  Tout 
a  toiy  cherie."  As  I  looked  up,  I  caught  Mrs. 
Chandler's  eye,  and  I  flushed  in  a  loneliness  un- 
shared by  my  hostess,  though  I  did  not  quite  see 
why  the  flush  wasn't  all  hers.  But  as  Frank  says: 
"  The  tree  may  be  known  by  its  fruit,  but  a  woman 
can't  be  read  by  her  complexion." 

A  few  moments  later  Mrs.  Chandler  gathered  up 
her  photographs.  She  hurriedly  glanced  through 
them. 

"  I  don't  see  how  this  picture  got  among  the 
lot,"  she  said  to  me,  as  she  picked  it  out.  "  This 
man  is  Prince  Otto ;  he  was  engaged  to  Princess 
Stephanie,  a  dear  girl  and  one  of  my  best  friends. 
She  died  of  Roman  fever  and  left  her  lover's  picture 
to  me." 

I  expressed  sympathy  for  the  princess.  "  What 
became  of  Prince  Otto  ?  "  I  asked  interestedly. 

"  He  came  to  America  incognito,  in  search  of 


30  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

diversion.  He  did  a  lot  of  crazy  and  eccentric 
things,  and  was  finally  killed  in  an  aeroplane  ascen- 
sion. You've  seen  his  picture  before,  no  doubt." 

"  I  did  think  his  face  familiar." 

"  Oh,  yes,  poor  fellow,  his  history  is  so  sad.  I'll 
tell  you  more  about  him  some  day." 

The  Commodore  was  filling  Mrs.  Kapua's  glass 
with  champagne.  Her  dark  eyes  were  raised  to  his  ; 
this  was  only  natural  as  she  had  been  told  so  often 
that  they  were  unfathomable,  but  it  was  not  wise, 
for  the  Commodore  in  trying  to  read  them,  forgot 
that  the  bottle  held  more  than  the  glass  possibly 
could.  Mrs.  Kapua  only  smiled,  her  own  dazzling 
smile,  when  it  overflowed,  and  said  it  did  not  matter 
as  she  was  wearing  only  a  tub  gown. 

But  it  would  have  been  just  the  same  if  the 
gown  had  been  brocade.  Part  of  Mrs.  Kapua's 
charm  is  her  unchanging  serenity.  The  Commodore, 
with  a  laughing  remark  to  the  effect  that  he  must 
prove  himself  a  more  competent  butler,  passed  on 
with  the  bottle  and  it  was  true  that  he  did  not 
linger  so  long  again. 

"  You  must  have  met  some  very  interesting 
people  in  your  travels,  Mrs.  Chandler,"  said  Mr. 
Mitchell,  leaving  a  group  of  men  and  joining  us. 

Mr.  Mitchell  has  done  a  lot  of  travelling  himself. 
Being  a  United  States  official  and  fully  alive  to 
the  social  importance  of  his  post,  he  and  his  wife, 
who  is  a  hospitable,  kindly  woman,  have  made  quite 
a  place  for  themselves  amongst  us,  during  the  few 
years  they  have  been  in  Honolulu.  Mr.  Mitchell  is 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  31 

well  liked,  in  spite  of  a  weakness  for  talking  about 
the  prominent  people  he  has  met.  If  he  has  occasion 
to  speak  of  royalty,  he  lowers  his  voice  respectfully 
and  one  does  not  have  to  be  very  astute  to  surmise 
that  he  is  one  of  those  who  love  a  title. 

"  Yes,  we  have  been  fortunate,"  replied  Mrs. 
Chandler.  "  I  think  the  Gelda  has  entertained  most 
of  the  crowned  heads  of  Europe,  besides  noted 
people  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Of  course  the 
Gelda  is  a  drawing  card;  she's  considered  one  of 
the  finest  yachts  of  the  Eastern  Fleet,  you  know." 

"  She's  a  beauty !  "  Mr.  Mitchell  spoke  enthusi- 
astically. "  No  doubt  we  have  many  mutual  friends 
in  Washington,"  he  added.  "  Mrs.  Mitchell  and  my- 
self have  just  returned  from  there.  You  know 
the  Russian  Ambasador — and  the  Minister  from 
France?  Yes?  Charming  fellows.  Mrs.  Mitchell 
and  I  gave  ourselves  up  entirely  to  society.  Last 
time  we  went  on,  Mrs.  Mitchell  was  in  mourning, 
and  we  saw  nothing  of  the  social  life,  of  course. 
I  said  to  the  President  one  day,  *  Honolulu  is  gay, 
but  we  couldn't  stand  this  pace  in  the  tropics.' 
And  the  President  said,  *  Tell  me,  Mitchell,  my  boy, 
why  it  is  that  in  that  seemingly  peaceful  spot  you 
have  this  continual  political  strife.'  And  I  said 
to  him,  6  Mr.  President,  since  you  ask  my  views  ' — 
and  then  I  gave  him  frankly  a  synopsis  of  the  situ- 
ation. When  I  got  through  the  President  said, 
6  Mitchell,  this  is  the  first  clear  explanation  I  have 
had  of  Hawaiian  affairs.'  I  replied,  '  Thank  you, 
Mr.  President ; '  and  I  felt  that  he  wanted  to  thank 


32  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

me.  The  truth  was  that  the  other  fellows  stood  in 
awe  of  him,  and,  remembering  always  that  he  was 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  they  simply  could 
not  talk  -freely.  It  wasn't  that  I  understood  politics 
here  any  better  than  they." 

"  One  must  be  thrown  with  those  high  in  author- 
ity before  one  can  realize  how  they  unbend,"  re- 
joined Mrs.  Chandler.  "  I  must  tell  you  an  incident 
that  happened  when  we  were  in  London.  One  day 
we  went  to  the  races.  As  we  arrived,  a  gentleman 
who  drove  up  about  the  same  time,  alighted  from  his 
carriage  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd,  and  as  he 
saw  us  he  inclined  his  head.  The  Commodore  bowed 
and  so  did  I.  Although  we  could  not  recall  having 
met  him,  his  face  was  not  entirely  strange,  and  he 
seemed  to  know  us. 

"  *  We're  all  betting  on  Juanita  to-day,'  said  the 
Commodore,  who  is  an  ideal  traveller,  any  way,  being 
hail-fellow-well-met  with  every  one.  The  gentleman 
bowed  politely,  but  said  nothing.  The  Commodore 
then  offered  to  bet  with  him,  adding  with  a  laugh, 
*  My  wife  will  make  a  record  of  the  bet.' 

"  I  wore  a  chateleine  hanging  at  my  side,  to 
which  was  attached  a  tiny  note-book.  The  whole 
thing  was  of  rare  and  curious  design  and  was  given 
to  me  by  the  Empress  of  China.  The  gentleman 
remarked  upon  its  beauty  as  I  opened  the  book,  and 
I  told  him  something  of  its  history. 

"  <  What  name  shall  I  put?  '  I  asked. 

"  6  Oh,  write  me  down  as  the  Prince  of  Wales ! ' 
cried  the  Commodore. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  33 

" '  Well,  call  me  just  Tummy,'  said  the  gen- 
tleman. '  Tummy,'  of  course,  was  the  pet  name  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  familiar  to  his  intimates. 

"  We  laughed  and  the  bet  was  recorded. 
'  Tummy '  lost.  In  a  few  days  the  Commodore 
received  his  picture  in  all  the  glory  of  court  dress 
and  medals.  Across  it  was  written :  6  Tummy,  a 
debtor ;  Prince  of  Wales,  a  friend.'  " 

"  It  was  the  Prince  of  Wales !  "  breathed  Mr. 
Mitchell. 

It  was  plain  we  had  found  a  height  that  could 
strike  awe  to  the  soul  of  Mr.  Mitchell. 

As  for  myself,  I  felt  that  it  was  time  for  me  to 
travel  and  get  a  crowned  head,  or  something  on  that 
order,  on  my  visiting  list.  I  nestled  up  to  Mrs. 
Thornton  a  few  moments  later  and  asked  her  who 
was  the  most  noted  person  she  had  ever  met ;  and  she 
said  Rudyard  Kipling — but  they'd  never  been  intro- 
duced. This  was  soothing,  for  I  remembered  that 
I'd  met  a  celebrity  or  two,  in  the  same  manner. 

When  we  were  going  home  I  told  Frank  all  about 
it,  he  happening  to  be  nearest  me. 

"  It  would  make  any  woman  long  for  wealth  to 
go  on  the  Gelda"  he  said  gloomily,  and  not  in  the 
least  apropos  of  my  story.  "  And  any  man  dis- 
couraged to  think  how  little  he  could  give  the  woman 
he  loved!" 

But  I  looked  at  Frank  and  knew  that  I  could  be 
content  in  little  Honolulu,  the  Prince  of  Wales  for- 
getting and  by  the  Prince  forgot. 
3 


IV. 

IF  I  ever  become  a  social  leader,  like  Mrs. 
Thornton,  Honolulu  shall  have  a  "  season  "  instead 
of  the  twelve  months  a  year  social  activity  known 
to  us,  and  a  luncheon  in  July  will  be  a  barbarism 
of  the  past.  I  never  could  understand  why  a 
luncheon  was  any  the  less  a  luncheon,  when  called 
a  breakfast.  Mrs.  Thornton  gives  them  on  Sun- 
days, when  the  men  can  come,  and  she  telephones 
a  casual  sounding :  "  Won't  you  drop  in  to  breakfast 
Sunday  at  one  ?  " 

Of  course  in  doing  the  informal,  it  is  possible 
for  her  steward  to  go  the  happy-go-lucky  way  of  the 
Chinese  steward,  since  annexation  and  the  Chinese 
Exclusion  Act  have  made  us  his  slaves.  Mrs. 
Thornton  calls  him :  "  My  butler,"  with  a  serene 
indifference  to  the  fact  that  he  is  just  what  the  rest 
of  us  struggle  with  and  have  always  called  a  steward, 
as  they  do  on  the  ships  that  have  brought  us  him, 
and  the  mosquitoes  and  other  mixed  blessings.  In 
fact,  Mrs.  Thornton  hypnotizes  one  into  an  oblivion 
of  the  incongruous  while  confidently  talking  of 
"  My  butler,"  who  may  at  the  time  be  making  mis- 
takes that  would  shatter  the  nerves  of  an  ordinary 
hostess. 

As  I  sat  at  the  table,  I  felt  that  it  was  a  simple 
matter  to  give  breakfasts  at  midday,  with  a  com- 

34 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  35 

plexion  like  Mrs.  Thornton's.  The  white  of  her 
skin  has  defied  the  tropical  sunshine  of  this  "  land 
of  perpetual  summer,"  and  she  has  kept  her  color. 
The  tourist  who  passes  through  and  writes  a  book 
on  the  Islands,  generally  speaks  of  the  sun-kissed 
cheeks  of  Hawaii,  flushed  with  a  rich  warmth.  But 
he  is  blind  for  the  sake  of  his  pen  picture.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  kisses  of  the  sun,  the  caresses 
of  the  salt  breeze,  have  never  contributed  to  beauty. 

But  although  I  might  occasionally  wish  things 
otherwise,  there  never  was  any  social  leader  who 
could  be  to  her  native  dwelling  place  what  Mrs. 
Thornton  has  been  to  Honolulu.  Never  tired  of 
keeping  "  open  house,"  always  ready  to  entertain 
the  stranger,  one  function  seeming  to  suggest  the 
next  and  to  inspire  further  effort,  with  her  unlimited 
wealth,  charm  of  manner,  and  natural  warmth  of 
heart  able  to  be  a  perfect  hostess,  she,  better  than 
any  one  else,  can  keep  up  the  reputation  for  hos- 
pitality of  which  we  have  always  boasted.  Being  a 
traveller  herself,  she  probably  knows  what  it  is  to 
be  lonely.  Frank  says  she  casts  her  bread  upon 
the  waters  with  a  happy  faith,  and  sends  her  card 
by  way  of  a  searchlight  when  she  arrives  in  San 
Francisco,  New  York  and  other  ports. 

Mr.  Thornton,  although  quiet  and  somewhat  re- 
served, always  has  a  cordial  welcome  for  every  one. 
If  he  occasionally  grows  tired  of  company,  no  one 
ever  knows  it;  I  don't  believe  he  does  himself,  for 
Mr.  Thornton  adores  his  wife  and  everything  she 


36  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

does  is  admirable  in  his  eyes.  If  she  ever  turns  his 
home  into  a  permanent  hotel,  it  will  be  just  the  right 
and  proper  thing  to  do. 

Not  content  with  the  Chandlers  alone,  Mrs. 
Thornton  had  invited  another  malihini  (stranger), 
Mrs.  Spotfield,  a  naval  officer's  wife  who  had  come 
to  Honolulu  to  await  the  arrival  of  her  husband, 
now  in  China  with  his  ship. 

She  was  pretty;  a  fair,  small- featured,  blue- 
eyed,  curly-haired  woman,  who  looked  very  young 
when  she  was  animated,  but  much  older  when  her 
face  was  in  repose.  About  her  mouth  were  lines 
that  showed  her  reflections  had  not  all  been  made  up 
of  sunshine  and  flowers.  Her  figure  was  that  of  a 
mere  girl;  not  thin,  but  slimly  youthful.  It  was 
quite  clear  that  she  had  often  been  told  she  was 
bright.  What  she  lacked  in  thought,  she  made  up  in 
sprightliness,  and  her  eyes  were  like  stars. 

She  sat  at  Mr.  Thornton's  left  hand  and  she  had 
not  sat  long1  before  she  gave  a  merry  little  laugh 
in  the  midst  of  a  pause  and  said: 

"  Yes,  I've  taken  a  cottage  back  of  the  hotel 
and  I  have  started  housekeeping.  As  it  is  all 
temporary,  I  am  just  playing  at  it, — picnicking  in 
fact.  I  have  a  wooden  box  for  an  ice  chest  and  a 
long  nail  for  an  ice  pick.  And  the  parlor  looks  so 
pretty  with  tapas  hung  all  around  and  navy  ribbons 
in  between.  It's  not  very  comfortable  just  now  be- 
cause there  is  a  big  spider  crawling  on  the  wall. 
He's  as  big  as  a  dinner  plate,  counting  his  legs, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  37 

and  he  scares  the  life  out  of  me,  but  I've  heard  that 
spiders  are  considered  lucky  in  Hawaii,  so  I  won't 
have  it  killed.  When  the  spider  is  on  one  side  of  the 
room,  I  take  the  other.  Sometimes  it  is  a  trifle 
inconvenient." 

Everybody  looked  amused,  and  Mrs.  Thornton 
laughed  aloud.  Being  the  hostess,  she  could  do  no 
less,  and  her  laugh  has  a  ripple.  This  encouraged 
Mrs.  Spotfield  to  go  on.  She  became  quite  reckless. 

"  And  it  does  seem  so  odd  to  have  one's  bedroom 
open  on  the  front  veranda.  My  door  is  next  to  the 
parlor,  and  there  is  no  bell.  Has  any  house  in 
Honolulu  a  bell?  And  one's  steward,  of  course,  is 
off  gambling;  so  when  I'm  not  to  be  found  in  the 
parlor,  man,  woman,  or  child  turns  to  the  next  door 
and  walks  in.  And — in  the  tropics — so  I  either  run 
out  the  back  door  or  into  a  kimono — if  they  are 
slow  enough."  Mrs.  Spotfield  came  to  a  pause  with 
a  plaintive  note  alluringly  suggestive  of  lace  and 
baby  ribbons  and  transparent  effects. 

Everybody  looked  still  more  amused;  Mrs. 
Thornton's  laugh  rippled  one  scale  higher ;  and  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  with  blissful  ignorance  of  Honolulu  high 
life,  plunged  in  where  the  kamaaina  (one  who  be- 
longs to  the  Islands)  fears  to  tread. 

"But  what's  the  difference?  "  she  said  blithely. 
"  The  white  people  are  all  in  the  same  boat ;  we 
have  become  oblivious  of  the  sensibilities  of  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese,  and  the  Hawaiians  didn't 
know  fashions — or  even  a  holoku — before  the  mis- 


38  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

sionary  came.  It's  lucky  the  missionary  did  come. 
The  pretty  half-white  girls  dress  so  well.  Do  you 
like  the  half-whites,  Mr.  Thornton?  " 

Mr.  Thornton's  reply  was  hasty  and  mostly  sug- 
gestive of  hot  potato  half  swallowed.  Mrs.  Spotfield 
flushed  and  looked  pained.  It  was  clear  that  some- 
body had  kicked  her  under  the  table.  For  an  in- 
stant she  did  not  speak,  and  it  became  a  matter  of 
conjecture  whether  all  her  emotions  had  not  concen- 
trated in  her  shins. 

"Oh,  you  do  like  them,  Mr.  Thornton?"  she 
proceeded  smoothly.  "  So  do  I — they  are  so  fas- 
cinating. I'm  mixed  myself,  you  know;  I  think 
it  makes  us  more  vivacious." 

And  nobody  doubted  that  she  was  mixed,  for, 
glancing  from  one  to  the  other  of  us,  she  found  us 
fairly  fair — if  tanned.  Opposite  her  sat  Mrs. 
Elkins,  one  of  whose  brothers  had  married  Kealoha 
Moody.  Mrs.  Elkins  had  never  pretended  to  like 
it,  particularly  since  Kealoha  had  awakened  from  the 
glamour  of  a  foreign  marriage  and  had  returned  to 
poi,  a  growing  corpulency,  and  holokus. 

Next  to  her  was  Billy  Barker.  Being  unencum- 
bered, he  is  in  demand  among  hostesses.  Billy 
came  to  the  Islands,  a  young  fellow  without  pros- 
pects, or  a  cent,  but  with  an  Irish  ancestry  which, 
as  he  said,  helped  a  lot.  And  he  married  a  Hawaiian 
heiress  with  land, — sugar  land.  She  died  and  left 
Billy  to  gladden  the  hostess  heart. 

Mr.  Elkins  sat  at  Mrs.  Thornton's  left.     He 


!A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  39 

comes  of  good,  old  missionary  stock  and  the  Royal- 
ist faction  never  loses  a  chance  to  hint  that  his 
beautiful  Colonial  house  is  quite  unlike  the  rude  hut 
of  his  grandfather,  entirely  ignoring  the  fact  that 
time  and  sugar  have  sweetened  life's  jack-pot  for 
Royalist  and  missionary  alike. 

In  the  ensuing  three  minutes  everybody  tried 
to  think  what  to  say  and  didn't  say  it.  The  pause 
may  be  a  rest,  but  the  awkward  pause  is  not  restful. 

"  I  met  such  a  unique  princess  in  San  Fran- 
cisco," said  Mrs.  Chandler.  "  She  was  the  daughter 
of  a  Chinese  Croesus  and  she  said  she  came  from 
Honolulu.  She  was  dining  with  some  naval  people 
and  so  were  we." 

"  Perhaps  it  was  Adrienne  Singlee,"  said  Mrs. 
Thornton.  "  She  was  in  San  Francisco  about  the 
time  you  must  have  been  there.  All  Hawaiians  are 
princesses  when  they  travel;  I  really  think  it's  a 
habit  with  the  reporters.  But  the  Singlees  are  one 
of  our  most  picturesque  families;  you  must  meet 
them." 

Mrs.  Thornton  took  some  cards  from  the  tray 
handed  her  by  one  of  the  servants.  "  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Starley  Wyncoop,  New  York,"  she  read.  "  Do  you 
know  them,  Commodore  ?  No  ?  New  York  is  so  big, 
of  course!  They  must  have  arrived  on  the  Maru 
this  morning.  They  gave  me  the  most  delightful 
dinner  when  I  was  in  New  York,  last  winter." 

She  glanced  around  her  polished  koa  table.  It 
could  have  held  two  more  without  the  least  crowd- 


40  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ing.  Her  expression  almost  said,  "  Move  up,  and 
I'll  start  the  menu  again ! " 

Nobody  could  blame  her ;  even  for  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton it  was  hard  to  be  at  dessert  of  one  entertain- 
ment and  be  brought  face  to  face  with  bouillon  for 
the  next.  It  is  never  a  new  sensation  in  Honolulu, 
but  it  is  none  the  less  painful. 

66  George,"  she  said  to  her  husband  as  she  rose 
from  her  seat,  "  have  coffee  in  the  lanai.  I'll  ask 
the  Wyncoops  to  join  us." 

And  as  she  disappeared  we  all  knew  that  she 
would  be  equal  to  the  situation. 

In  a  few  moments  we  sauntered  by  twos  into  the 
lanai,  where  we  were  introduced  to  the  Starley 
Wyncoops.  Mrs.  Starley  was  reminiscent  of  Fifth 
Avenue  even  to  those  of  us  who  had  never  seen  New 
York.  She  had  black  eyes,  a  skin  of  creamy  pallor, 
and  hair  that  lay  in  dusky  waves  on  a  very  white 
brow.  She  was  good-looking  in  a  rather  severe  style, 
which  was  contradicted  by  a  wicked  curve  at  one 
corner  of  her  mouth  when  she  smiled.  Her  figure 
testified  to  a  -faultless  corset,  and  the  perfect  lines 
of  her  tailor-made  j  acket  were  a  revelation.  She 
carried  a  parasol  with  a  striking  handle — a  beauti- 
ful dog's  head,  with  large  jewelled  eyes.  Mr.  Wyn- 
coop  was  a  blond  boy  with  blue  eyes  that  just 
seemed  to  be  hunting  for  experience ;  when  he  looked 
at  his  wife  a  world  of  awakened  intelligence  seemed 
to  dawn  in  them. 

Mrs.  Thornton  went  off  to  see  if  her  butler  was 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  41 

"  planting  the  coffee,"  which  seemed  unaccountably 
delayed,  and  I  tried  to  make  conversation,  which 
wasn't  easy  in  the  face  of  a  midday  glare  and  the 
discouragement  of  New  York  style. 

"  It  is  too  bad  you  can't  wait  over  and  take 
the  next  through  steamer,"  I  began. 

This  being  the  usual  remark  of  Honolulu  to  a 
through  passenger,  it  came  without  stress  of 
thought. 

"  We  regret  it  so  much,"  returned  Mrs.  Wyn- 
coop.  "  Next  time  we  come,  we  are  certainly  going 
to  arrange  it  so  that  we  can  stop  over  in  this 
charming  place." 

This  was  the  usual  reply. 

A  short  pause  ensued,  broken  by  the  approach 
of  Mrs.  Chandler  with  Billy  Barker.  Mrs.  Wyn- 
coop  was  gazing  around  Mrs.  Thornton's  spacious, 
picturesque  lanai,  with  its  .gnarled  old  tree  in  one 
corner,  the  trunk  coming  up  through  the  floor  and 
disappearing  through  the  ceiling,  where  the  lanai 
had  been  built  around  it;  with  its  hammocks  and 
palms,  wicker  lounging  chairs  and  odd  Chinese 
lanterns.  She  turned  slowly  as  I  started  to  intro- 
duce Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  Mrs.  Chandler,"  she  repeated  with  a  surprised 
stare. 

"  Mrs. — Starley — Wyncoop !  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Chandler,  lingering  on  each'  name  as  though  each 
in  itself  were  a  new  sensation. 

"  And  Mr.  Barker, — let  me  introduce  Mr.  Bar- 


42  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ker,"  I  said,  after  waiting  in  vain  for  the  two 
women  to  come  back  to  earth — and  to  us. 

This  passed  unnoticed  and  Billy,  in  his  usual 
happy  vein,  suggested  that  I  melt  away  with  him. 
But  I  was  too  much  interested  to  dissolve  entirely 
and  stood  near  by  with  Billy,  who  at  once  started  to 
pour  reminiscences  of  early  and  gay  days  in  my 
ear, — one  ear,  for  the  other  naturally  stayed  with 
Mrs.  Chandler  and  Mrs.  Starley  Wyncoop. 

"  Where  did  you  bag  the  kid?  "  demanded  Mrs. 
Chandler  in  a  modulated  but  none  the  less  distinct 
key. 

I  thought  this  was  rather  hard  on  Mrs.  Wyn- 
coop, but  she  only  laughed  as  if  she  had  done 
something  to  be  proud  of. 

"  I  was  on  my  way  to  Europe  with  the  '  Fairy  '," 
she  said.  "  Starley  Wyncoop  was  going  over  to  meet 
his  yacht  in  the  Mediterranean.  Eight  days  on  deck 
and  nearly  every  one  else  sea-sick.  My  chaperone 
failed  to  meet  me  on  the  other  side — he  married  me 
in  London,  and " 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  murmuring  *  Yes  '  in 
that  dangerous  way  ? "  Billy  Barker  whispered 
softly. 

I  started ;  Billy  was  renowned  for  his  flirtatious 
proclivities.  What  on  earth  had  he  been  saying? 

"  You've  never  understood  me,"  I  suggested,  by 
way  of  gaining  time. 

"  Give  me  a  chance,"  cried  Billy.  "  You  can 
make  a  student  of  me." 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  43 

This  was  a  gallant  declaration,  for  there  was 
little  of  the  student  about  Billy. 

"  Tell  me  that  story  about  Lunalilo  and  the 
naval  officer,"  I  interposed.  I  knew  it  by  heart  and 
Billy,  once  launched,  would  be  good  for  a  full  two 
minutes  any  way. 

"And  you?"  began  Mrs.  Wyncoop.  "Learn- 
ing the  hula  hula?  " 

"  No,  I  too  have  not  been  idle."  Mrs.  Chandler 
laughed.  "  Here  comes  the  Commodore ;  I'll  intro- 
duce you.  I  met  him  after Oh,  thanks,  Mrs. 

Thornton ;  yes,  I  will  have  coffee,  please.  Yes,  Mrs. 
Wyncoop  and  I  are  old  friends,  but  we  have  not 
seen  each  other  for  years.  We  have  both  been 
married  since." 

"  I  tell  you  Lunalilo  was  the  wise  old  chap,  even 
if  he  did  sometimes  look  on  the  wine  when  it  was 
red,"  wound  up  Billy. 

And  I  knew  it  was  safe  this  time  to  venture: 
"  Yes." 

"  Delicious  coffee,"  said  Mrs.  Spotfield,  moving 
nearer  with  her  cup  in  her  hand. 

She  was  looking  straight  at  Billy  Barker,  and 
there  was  a  soft  note  in  her  voice.  Her  remark 
sounded  almost  personal. 

"  Kona  coffee ;  how  could  it  help  being  like 
nectar  ?  So  euphonious ;  what  lovely  names  you  have 
in  this  country !  " 

I  murmured :  "  Billy  Barker's  Kona  coffee." 


44  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Spotfield  gave  me  a  glance.  If  her  eyes 
had  not  been  blue,  it  might  have  been  sharp. 

She  laughed.  "  Doesn't  that  sound  well !  "  she 
cried  with  girlish  enthusiasm ;  "  Weren't  you  in  San 
Francisco,  Mr.  Barker?"  she  added.  "Of  course 
I  know  that  all  Honolulu  men  go  there  sooner  or 
later,  but  I  don't  hear  of  them  all.  I  did  hear  of 
you,  though.  I  heard, — well,  anyway,  I  knew  at 
once  when  I  met  you  to-day,  that  you  were  the 
man." 

"What  did  you  hear?"  asked  Billy,  with  a 
keen  and  undisguised  interest  in  the  subject  of 
himself. 

Many  a  man  before  has  risen  to  that  fly.  Billy 
was  all  Mrs.  Spotfield's. 

I  began  to  have  that  indescribable  and  never- 
to-be-desired  feeling  of  "  Third,"  and  I  followed 
Mrs.  Thornton,  as  she  crossed  the  lanai. 

"Who  was  Mrs.  Starley  Wyncoop  before  she 
was  married?  "  I  asked  her. 

"  Well,  my  dear,  I  really  don't  know  exactly," 
replied  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  There's  always  such  a 
lot  of  gossip,  you  know,  that  one  cannot  tell  what 
to  believe.  They  say  in  New  York  that  she  was  a 
model  for  a  corset  house,  and  she  was  sent  to  Europe 
by  the  firm  every  winter.  On  one  of  these  trips  she 
met  him,  and  he  fell  madly  in  love  with  her.  He  is 
one  of  the  Wyncoops,  you  know,  and  has  even  more 
millions  than  the  other  millionaires.  They  know 
every  one  and  go  everywhere,  anyway." 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  45 

"And  Mrs.  Chandler?  Who  was  she,  I 
wonder? " 

"  Oh,  she  was  a  Miss  Chalmers ;  her  mother  was 
the  daughter  of  the  American  minister  to  Berlin, 
and  her  father  was  naval  attache  at  the  Court  of 
Vienna.  Very  distinguished  family,  really.  She 
met  Commodore  Chandler  abroad." 

"  How  do  you  know  all  that?  "  I  asked  in  some 
surprise. 

"Why,  she  told  me  herself,"  said  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

"Come  for  a  walk,  do,"  said  Frank,  as  Mrs. 
Thornton  disappeared  into  her  room.  "  Just  to  get 
an  appetite  for  dinner,"  he  explained  to  my  entire 
satisfaction, 


V. 

BILLY  BARKER  said  he  was  not  going  to  make 
himself  conspicuous  and  he  was  going  to  get  right 
in  line  and  do  something  for  the  Chandlers. 

Plans  for  festivities  at  the  beach  are  apt  to  arise 
with  the  moon  and  as  it  was  moonlight  there  was 
nothing  to  wait  for;  so  Billy  invited  us  to  dinner 
and  named  the  earliest  possible  night. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornton  had  brought  Frank 
and  me  in  their  automobile,  and  we  were  the  first 
to  arrive. 

"  This  is  not  a  '  Come  one,  come  all '  party ;  it 
isn't  that  type,"  Billy  announced,  when  we  re- 
entered  the  lanai  from  the  dressing  room.  "  My 
list,  with  a  blue  pencil,  has  been  submitted  to  each 
guest.  The  primitive  beauty  of  its  every  return 
has  been  a  lesson  in  brotherly  love  that  I  can  ne'er 
forget." 

"  Heavens  !  Who's  asked?  "  Mrs.  Thornton's 
tone  was  faintly  alarmed. 

"  Either  you  cannot  read,  your  trust  in  me  is 
sublime, — or  I  forgot  to  send  you  the  list.  Know 
then — ah,  here  is  Mrs.  Spotfield !  " 

"  What  an  ideal  place  you  have  here,  Mr. 
Barker !  "  cried  Mrs.  Spotfield,  after  greeting  each 
one  of  us.  "  Oh,  such  a  moon !  " 

"Yes,  pretty  good;  I  had  it  fitted  and  hung 
before  the  lanai  was  built,"  Mr.  Barker  began 
flippantly. 

46 


A  JEWEL  OE  THE  SEAS  47 

But  he  met  Mrs.  Spotfield's  blue  eyes  and  his 
manner  changed.  Billy  never  could  resist  a  pretty 
woman  and  Mrs.  Spotfield  certainly  was  a  picture, 
a  white  chiffon  scarf  loosely  twisted  about  her 
blonde,  curly  hair,  forming  a  frame  for  her  fair 
prettiness.  A  lacy  wrap  fell  half  off  her  shoulders, 
showing  her  arms  and  neck  that  were  almost  as 
white  as  her  gown. 

She  looked  up  at  Billy  and  smiled.  "  It  must  be 
like  the  deck  of  a  ship,"  she  said,  with  a  wave  of  her 
hand  towards  the  outer  part  of  the  lanai,  where 
the  roof  did  not  extend,  leaving  an  uncovered  portion 
open  to  the  sky. 

It  was  as  clear  as  day  out  there,  when  Billy 
pressed  a  button  and  turned  out  the  electric  lights 
that  had  dimmed  the  milder  rays  of  the  moon. 

"  Come  and  I'll  show  you." 

There  was  no  disputing  Billy's  manner  when  he 
wanted  to  be  gallant  and  Mrs.  Spotfield  seemed  to 
appreciate  it,  as  she  walked  by  his  side. 

We  all  followed.  It  was  irresistible,  the  mur- 
mured invitation  of  the  surf,  the  soft  restfulness  of 
light,  and  we  stood  by  the  low  railing  and  gazed 
out  over  the  gently  rolling  ocean  extending  every- 
where as  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  washing  up  with 
little  splashes  against  the  posts,  rippling  on  the 
sands  somewhere  under  where  we  stood,  and  farther 
on  breaking  against  the  sea  wall,  with  a  hint  of  a 
mighty  power  now  in  abeyance.  It  certainly  was 


48  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

like  the  deck  of  a  ship  on  the  lanai  built  over  the 
water,  with  the  waves  beneath  us  and  the  sky  above. 

"  Just  like  being  at  sea,  with  all  the  joy  of  hav- 
ing no  motion !  "  cried  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

"  And  you  a  sailor's  wife ! "  said  Billy. 

"  Oh,  but  he  does  the  sailing, — and  thank  good- 
ness for  it !  " 

This,  apparently,  came  straight  from  Mrs.  Spot- 
field's  heart.  Perhaps  she  believed  in  the  perpetual 
honeymoon  claimed  by  the  navy  as  an  offset  to  fre- 
quent separations,  or  perhaps  she  only  meant  that 
he  was  a  better  sailor  than  she.  Billy  was  looking 
at  her  interestedly,  but  the  tooting  of  a  horn  from 
an  arriving  automobile  reminded  him  of  his  duties, 
and  he  hastened  off. 

After  all,  his  list  could  have  been  passed  around 
with  a  blue  pencil,  for  the  Chandlers,  Mrs.  Kapua, 
and  Guy  Selby,  made  up  the  rest  of  the  party. 
Billy's  specialty  was  small  dinners  and  congenial 
spirits  happily  brought  together. 

But,  as  dinner  progressed,  it  was  evident  that 
even  congeniality  has  to  be  guaged  by  the  success- 
ful host.  Billy,  with  Mrs.  Chandler  of  course  at  his 
right,  and  Mrs.  Spotfield,  the  other  "  visitor  to  our 
Isles  " — as  the  Society  Column  puts  it — seated  at  his 
left,  was  torn  between  the  determined  efforts  of 
each  to  claim  his  undivided  attention.  When  he 
tried  to  draw  them  together,  it  was  like  putting  a 
period  to  the  conversation.  Then  there  would  come 
a  fresh  start  from  whichever  one  could  get  in  first. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  49 

It  was  a  case  of  "  How  happy  could  I  be  with 
either,"  and  Billy  seemed  to  be  fast  reaching  a  stage 
when  one  eye,  and  half  his  mouth,  were  trying  to 
act  entirely  independently  of  the  other  half  of  his 
face. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  not  wholly  to  blame  because 
Guy  Selby,  who  sat  between  her  and  me,  would 
insist  upon  talking  to  me  continually. 

"  I  believe  in  monopoly — I  hope  you  do,"  he 
whispered  with  the  sort  of  look  the  novelists  describe 
as  dangerous. 

If  Mrs.  Chandler  had  been  inclined  to  let  Mrs. 
Spotfield  have  all  of  our  host,  she  could  hardly 
have  done  so  unless  she  remained  silent.  Realizing 
his  hard  position,  I  turned  from  Guy  Selby  to  Frank 
as  soon  as  I  could,  but  he  coldly  remarked: 

"  Pray  do  not  let  me  interrupt  your  conversation 
with  Lieutenant  Selby." 

The  accent  was  on  the  Lieutenant,  which  showed 
that  Frank  had  in  mind  the  reputed  power  of  the 
brass  button.  After  that,  I  had  mostly  a  view  of  his 
shoulder  as  he  devoted  himself  to  Mrs.  Thornton. 

Oh,  these  congenial  dinners ! 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  really  the  Star  Guest,  for  she 
talked  to  Commodore  Chandler  and  Mr.  Thornton 
with  equal  impartiality,  and  threw  her  glances  gen- 
erously for  either  to  catch.  Mrs.  Kapua  knows 
when  to  concentrate,  and  when  not,  and  if  there  is 
a  time  when  she  can  fascinate  two  men  with  one 
effort,  she  seldom  fails  to  do  so. 
4 


50  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Every  woman  at  the  table  was  dressed  in  white 
and  yet  each  looked  absolutely  individual.  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  in  organdy  and  lace,  the  sash  around 
her  slender  waist  of  palest  blue,  was  the  simple 
ingenue.  Mrs.  Chandler  wore  a  soft,  diaphanous 
fabric  with  the  delicate  sheen  of  a  pearl.  There  was 
a  hint  of  subtle  tinting,  an  elusive  suggestion  of 
color  somewhere  half  hidden  under  the  transparen- 
cies, and  the  opals  about  her  neck  also  changed  their 
pale  tints  from  one  exquisite  hue  to  another  as  she 
moved.  Her  hair,  with  its  lovely,  reddish  lights, 
had  odd  combs  irregularly  fastening  its  waves.  You 
could  see  that  Mrs.  Chandler  had  been  in  cities 
where  great  actresses  vied  in  creating  original,  and 
striking  effects. 

Poor  Billy  Barker!  How  could  he  manage  two 
women,  each  trying  to  manage  him,  and  each  so 
attractive,  and  be  an  impartial  host  as  well  ? 

Mrs.  Kapua's  white  chiffon  set  off  her  glowing 
brunette  beauty  to  such  an  extent  that  one  quite 
forgot  the  gown.  On  her  dark  hair  was  a  lei  of 
red  carnations,  worn  as  only  Mrs.  Kapua,  with  an 
ancestry  accustomed  to  the  adornment  of  floral 
wreaths,  could  wear  it.  A  gorgeous  ruby  pendant 
surrounded  with  diamonds,  her  favorite  ornament, 
fell  from  her  beautifully  moulded  neck.  It  is  Mrs. 
Kapua's  usual  style  of  dressing,  for  she  knows 
she  has  struck  a  note  that  is  the  true  one  for  her. 

Mrs.  Thornton  is  always  dressed  conventionally 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  51 

and  with  taste.  Her  gowns  are  imported,  and 
chosen  with  a  discrimination  possible  to  an  unlim- 
ited income. 

"  Isn't  it  odd  that  five  women  in  five  white  gowns 
can  manage  to  look  so  different  from  each  other?  " 
I  asked  Guy. 

"  You're  the  only  one  that  is  different !  "  Guy 
whispered,  with  some  intensity. 

There  happened  to  be  a  lull  in  the  conversation 
just  then  and  I  glanced  at  Frank.  And  I  hoped 
he  had  overheard,  for  he  looked  as  if  he'd  swallowed 
all  the  knives,  instead  of  only  alligator  pear. 

"  Oh,  by  the  way,  Commodore,"  began  Billy 
Barker,  "  you  ought  to  be  an  expert  as  regards 
fish, — having  been  in  Japan  so  much,  you  know, — 
what  do  you  think  of  our  Jcumu?  " 

There  was  a  short  pause,  while  every  one's  mind 
reverted  to  fish ;  it  showed  the  desperate  stage  Billy 
had  reached,  for  his  was  ordinarily  a  versatile  mind 
and  the  fish  course,  long  passed,  had  been  devilled 
crabs  anyway. 

But  the  conversation  became  general,  for  the 
Commodore  said  so  many  pretty  things  about  the 
fish  of  Hawaii,  their  delicacy  of  flavor,  their  variety, 
and  last  but  not  least,  their  exquisite  and  wondrous 
coloring,  that  we  all  found  ourselves  asking  him  if 
he'd  seen  this  one,  so  like  a  butterfly,  or  that  one,  an 
imprisoned  rainbow, — it  was  almost  as  though  we 
had  shares  in  the  Aquarium.  I  found  myself  wish- 


52  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ing  that  Frank  had  all  his  money  in  it  when  Mrs. 
Kapua  put  her  hand  on  the  Commodore's  arm  and 
looked  up  at  him  with  her  lustrous  eyes. 

"They  are  like  jewels  eh."  she  said.  Who 
could  resist  the  Aquarium ! 

Mrs.  Kapua's  "  Eh  "  is  a  note  of  velvet  inflec- 
tion. It  is  not  a  demand,  it  requires  no  answer. 
It  invites  confidence  and  is,  in  turn,  confiding.  It 
caresses,  or  soothes,  or  flatters,  or  cajoles,  as  the 
case  may  be,  but  always  it  is  a  concession.  A  state- 
ment is  tempered  by  it,  a  remark  qualified.  And 
none  but  a  Hawaiian  could  strike  the  musical  range 
of  that  one  soft,  little  melodious  "  Eh." 

"Talking  of  jewels,"  said  the  Commodore,  "I 
have  a  real  fish  story  to  tell  you.  When  we  were  in 
Japan,  Mrs.  Chandler  and  I  were  invited  to  dine 
with  the  Emperor.  As  the  fish  was  brought  in,  I 
noticed  that  it  was  pale  as  to  complexion  and  I 
wondered  if  our  courage  would  be  equal  to  the  task 
of  politeness  before  us. 

The  fish  was  a  huge  one  and  it  was  placed  on 
the  table  in  front  of  the  Emperor ;  a  tall  Chinaman 
leaned  over  and  with  a  great  flourish,  he  poured 
right  in  the  centre  of  its  eye,  a  drop  of  a  fiery  look- 
ing liquid.  With  a  convulsive  movement,  the  un- 
fortunate fish  dropped  into  eight  pieces,  four  on 
each  side  of  its  vertebras.  The  Emperor  rose  and 
taking  a  gorgeous  emerald  from  its  hiding  place, 
somewhere  near  the  head,  he  presented  it  to  Mrs. 
Chandler.  I  believe  she  almost  forgot  the  cruelty 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  53 

of  a  dissection  so  complete  and  still  so  skilful,  that 
no  vital  point  had  been  touched." 

**The  poor  fish  eh,"  murmured  Mrs.  Kapua. 

"  But  you  see,  the  honor  of  a  great  Tabasco 
Sauce  Finale  before  the  Emperor  was  probably  his 
consolation,"  rejoined  the  Commodore.  "  Oh,  those 
Japs  are  wonders,  I  tell  you,  and  generous, — phew ! 
Mrs.  Chandler  must  show  you  some  of  the  rare  stones 
given  her  by  the  Emperor." 

"  Oh,  I'd  like  to  see  them !  I  must  say  I  have 
a  weakness  for  jewelry,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton,  "I 
love  the  sparkle,  and  the  lustre,  and  the  colors; 
precious  stones  are  full  of  romance  to  me.  But 
I  believe  Mr.  Thornton  looks  upon  them  only  as  an 
investment." 

She  pouted  and  then  blushed,  as  she  caught  Mr. 
Thornton's  eye.  For  he  looked  as  though  she  were 
the  only  investment  in  the  world  to  him. 

"  What  are  your  favorite  stones,  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton ?  "  asked  the  Commodore.  "  I  hear  you  have 
some  fine  diamonds." 

It  was  soon  evident  that  the  Commodore's  pet 
fad  was  under  discussion,  for  he  seemed  to  forget 
even  Mrs.  Kapua  in  the  interest  of  his  subject.  The 
conversation  was  no  longer  a  general  one  and  Billy 
Barker  sat  back.  Mrs.  Spotfield,  without  a  shadow 
of  delay,  leaned  toward  him,  but  before  she  could 
speak,  Mrs.  Chandler  quickly  interposed. 

"What  a  good  cook  you  have,  Mr.  Barker;  is 
he  Chinese  ?  "  she  asked. 


54  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Ah  Quon  had  been  with  his  master  for  years, 
and  Billy  told  many  anecdotes  about  him  that  were 
new  to  Mrs.  Chandler  and  each  more  amusing  than 
the  last.  She  was  a  good  listener. 

Mrs.  Spotfield's  smile  faded,  and  so  did  she.  It 
was  a  psychological  study,  what  Mrs.  Spotfield's 
smile  did  for  her.  Without  it,  she  was  years  older. 

But  dinner  was  over  and  we  followed  our  host 
outside,  where  coffee  was  served.  One  did  not  have 
to  make  conversation  at  Waikiki.  The  ever-chang- 
ing wonders  of  ocean  and  sky  provided  an  entertain- 
ment that  could  never  grow  old.  We  sat  about  on 
the  railing  of  the  lanai,  or  lounged  in  the  comfort- 
able wicker  chairs  and  were  silent,  except  for  a 
desultory  remark  or  two  that  seemed  to  die  half 
spoken. 

I  looked  at  Mrs.  Chandler  and  wondered  what 
memories  she  was  recalling  with  that  half  smile; 
and  from  her  I  glanced  toward  the  Commodore. 
He  was  standing,  his  head  thrown  back  as  though 
to  drink  in  the  ocean  smells,  the  sea-weed  and  the 
salt  that  sailors  love.  And  he  looked  the  sailor, 
his  fine  figure  alert,  on  watch,  defiant,  as  though 
ready  to  battle  with  the  mighty  elements.  His 
attitude  hardly  suited  the  ocean's  gentle  mood,  its 
restless  waters  shimmering  softly,  with  an  occasional 
lazy  roll  when  the  little  breezes  rose  to  play  over 
the  surface. 

Mrs.  Chandler  put  down  her  cup  on  the  railing. 

"  How  did  you  dare  have  your  house  built  right 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  55 

out  over  the  water  like  this,  Mr.  Barker?  Aren't 
you  afraid  of  being  swept  out  to  sea  when  a  storm 
comes  up?  Do  tell  me  about  the  foundations  of 
your  bungalow." 

"  Would  you  like  to  see  how  it  is  built  ?  "  cried 
Mr.  Barker  in  eager  response. 

This  was  really  his  weak  point.  Perhaps  Mrs. 
Chandler  had  guessed  that  practically  the  whole 
cost,  and  the  whole  plan,  of  the  bungalow  was  cen- 
tred in  its  stone  props. 

Mrs.  Chandler  rose  and  picked  up  her  skirts 
with  a  graceful  motion,  as  though  she  were  just 
going  to  step  into  a  dance  revealing  a  pretty  foot 
in  a  coquettish  French  slipper. 

"  Indeed  I  should  like  it ;  I  always  want  to 
understand  the  foundations,"  she  cried. 

And  certainly,  whether  by  accident  or  by  design, 
she  had  got  to  the  foundation  with  Mr.  Barker. 
Judging  by  Mrs.  Spotfield's  expression,  she  thought 
it  was  by  design. 

"  How  pretty  Mrs.  Chandler  is,"  she  said  to  me. 
"  It's  too  bad  that  hair  with  Titian  tints  is  never 
natural,  or  rather  it  is  too  bad  that  men  don't  like 
artifice." 

But  Commodore  Chandler  interrupted  any  fur- 
ther confidences  about  his  wife  by  coming  forward 
to  take  Mrs.  Spotfield's  empty  cup.  I  would  have 
liked  to  hear  what  more  she  had  to  say,  but  the 
Commodore  devoted  himself  to  us  and  there  was  no 
chance.  I  wondered  once,  or  twice,  if  she  was  cal- 


56  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

culating  the  length  of  time  it  took  to  see  a  cellar, 
but  as  she  smiled  at  the  Commodore,  the  thought 
was  dispelled. 

"  Hello  there !  "  called  Billy  from  the  sea  wall, 
at  last.  "  Pitch  us  a  cigarette.  Thanks,  good 
throw,  it  hit  that  first  wave — never  mind,  we're 
coming." 

Mrs.  Spotfield's  expression  almost  said  "  So's 
Christmas."  But  the  Commodore  did  not  see  it,  as 
he  went  over  to  join  Mrs.  Kapua,  as  soon  as  Billy 
spoke.  One  would  have  thought  he  had  stayed  with 
us  until  the  lesson  in  stone  work  was  over,  to  pre- 
vent the  possibility  of  our  interrupting  it. 

Billy  tip-toed  to  the  centre  of  the  lanai. 

"  Gather  around  me,  one  and  all,"  he  said  in  a 
stage  whisper.  "  Come  hither."  He  advanced  to 
meet  us.  "  There's  a  little  hula  along  the  beach, — 
just  a  short  walk  from  here!  "  he  added  in  a  mys- 
terious undertone. 

"Oh-h-h "  cried  Mrs.  Chandler,  her  eyes 

shining. 

"  Oh !  "  said  the  Commodore.  A  non-committal 
Oh. 

"Oh,"  murmured  Mrs.  Spotfield.  Her  tone 
hinted  at  an  interested  hope  of  further  shock. 

Billy  glanced  over  his  shoulder.  "  It's  only 
the  Jcui,  you  know,  a  modified  hula,  still — the 

police "  his  voice  trailed  off  significantly.  "  But 

follow  me,"  he  added  valorously. 

And  we  all  followed. 

For  my  part,  I'd  rather  have  stayed  out  in  the 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  57 

moonlight  with  Frank.  We  had  not  alluded  again 
to  the  business  proposition  that  had  tempted  him 
to  consider  going  to  Japan,  and  I  could  think 
of  little  else.  But  there  was  no  chance  for  any  confi- 
dences now,  although  such  a  night  as  this  might 
invite  them. 

It  was  only  a  short  walk,  as  Billy  had  said. 
We  came  to  a  grove  of  cocoanut  trees,  their  slim, 
tall  trunks  shooting  upward  at  every  angle,  topped 
by  their  huge  bouquets  of  drooping  leaves.  In  their 
midst,  nestled  in  a  clump  of  thick  foliage,  was  a 
small  cottage.  One  might  have  passed  it  a  dozen 
times  without  noticing  it.  Low-lying  hau  trees 
sheltered  it  from  the  road.  About  it  lurked  deep 
shadows,  deep  as  shadows  can  be  in  contrast 
to  the  tropical  clearness  of  the  moonlight  that  lay 
beyond. 

The  hollow  thumping  of  a  gourd,  beaten  in 
rhythmical  order,  broke  on  the  still  air  of  the  night, 
its  primitive  music  awakening  imagination,  conjur- 
ing up  vague  visions,  a  jumble  of  something  read, 
or  heard,  or  perhaps  seen.  The  neat,  straight 
veranda,  and  conventional  house  didn't  seem  to  fit, 
as  would  the  grass  hut  of  former  days. 

An  old  Hawaiian,  a  familiar  figure  at  feast 
and  dance,  his  gray  hairs  going  down  to  the  grave, 
not  in  sorrow  but  in  all  the  unholy  joy  of  native 
revels,  was  squatting  on  the  floor  at  one  end  of  the 
room  we  entered.  The  tall  gourd  he  was  beating 
stood  before  him. 

When  we  were  seated,  he  began  a  low  chant 


58  A  JEWEU  OF  THE  SEAS 

which  rose  and  fell  in  regular  and  somewhat  mourn- 
ful cadence.  As  if  at  a  signal,  the  veranda,  the 
hall,  the  sands  outside,  became  peopled  with  a  lei 
bedecked,  laughing  little  crowd  of  natives.  Dark- 
skinned,  good-natured  faces  appeared  at  doors  and 
windows.  And  at  the  same  time,  three  dancers 
walked  into  the  room,  their  bare  feet  falling  softly 
on  the  matting. 

They  were  dressed  in  red  tarlatan,  their  short, 
full  skirts  reaching  to  their  brown  knees.  Leis  of 
red  carnations  and  the  glossy,  green  maile  leaf 
were  tied  around  their  waists,  fell  about  their  necks, 
and  wreathed  their  heads,  the  one  saving  touch  to 
an  incongruous  costuming  that  had  replaced  the 
tapas,  and  feathers  of  former  days.  No  doubt  the 
tarlatan  was  a  joy  to  the  native  heart,  always  de- 
lighting in  imitation. 

The  girls  were  young,  but  not  good  looking; 
their  faces  were  heavy  and  expressionless. 
They  stood  motionless  for  a  moment,  while  the  hula 
drum  thumped  its  monotonous  reiteration,  then 
with  the  chanting  for  accompaniment,  they  began 
slowly  moving  to  the  right,  then  to  the  left,  accen- 
tuating the  marked  time  with  the  shuffling  of  their 
feet.  In  unsmiling  unison,  business-like,  stolid, 
waving  their  arms  with  their  curious  gestures,  undu- 
lating their  hips,  they  continued  the  monotony  of 
movement,  coming  at  last  to  an  abrupt  pause.  The 
old  Hawaiian's  voice  died  away  in  a  prolonged  vowel 
that  quavered  through  a  range  of  plaintive  notes, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  59 

Almost  immediately  one  of  the  girls,  evidently 
the  leader,  held  out  one  arm  stiffly  and  spoke  in 
Hawaiian,  a  sort  of  recitative  with  a  rising  inflec- 
tion at  the  end.  As  if  in  response,  all  three  began 
the  hula  again  with  an  acceleration  of  speed  and 
a  slight  accentuation  of  abdominal  contortion. 

"She  says:  'On  with  the  dance,  let  joy  be 
unconfined,'  "  explained  our  host. 

And  he  turned  to  the  crowd  outside  and  called 
out  a  sentence  or  two  in  Hawaiian.  There  was  a 
roar  of  delighted  laughter  in  response.  The  natives 
adored  Billy — or  "  Pila,"  as  they  called  him.  Even 
the  hula  girls  smiled  faintly.  Each  time  there  was 
an  interlude,  the  leader  again  chanted,  the  dance 
became  a  little  further  pronounced,  and  Billy's  ex- 
pounding and  Hawaiian  interpolations  grew  the 
more  inspired. 

The  dancers  became  almost  animated.  They 
breathed  a  trifle  quicker,  they  moved  with  more 
spirit  and  even  with  a  certain  amount  of  abandon. 
Their  leis  swung  and  the  strongly  scented  maile  leaf 
threw  a  cloying  sweetness  on  the  air  that  was  grow- 
ing heavier  and  warmer  each  moment. 

The  Commodore  jumped  to  his  feet.  "  Wela  ka 
hau!  "  he  shouted  with  enthusiasm.  "  Wela  Tea 
haul  " 

We  all  laughed.  Wela  Jca  hau  is  a  popular 
Hawaiian  slang  of  variable  meaning;  generally 
translatable  into :  "  Hot  stuff."  At  any  rate,  it 
is  on  a  par  with  the  subtlety  of  the  compliment 


60  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

conveyed  and  is  supposed  to  be  an  incentive  to  fur- 
ther effort.  Perhaps  the  Commodore  had  been  a 
spectator  at  a  hula  before. 

He  dived  into  his  pocket  and  took  out  a  green- 
back, and  as  the  girls  went  outside  to  rest  and 
cool  off,  he  waved  it  in  the  air. 

"  I'll  have  to  weight  this  before  I  throw  it,"  he 
said. 

There  was  an  involuntary  cry  of  expostulation, 
as  we  saw  that  it  was  a  hundred  dollar  bill. 

"  Why,  isn't  it  customary  to  throw  money  to 
the  dancers  ? "  he  asked.  "  In  Japan — in 
Samoa " 

"  But  goodness,  Commodore,  so  much !  "  inter- 
posed Mrs.  Thornton. 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  expostulated  Billy,  "  do  you 
want  to  ruffle  our  tropic  calm  with  frenzied  finance ! 
Just  let  me  manage  this." 

The  Commodore  protested,  but  was  persuaded 
at  last,  and  he  reluctantly  put  the  hundred  dollars 
back  in  his  pocket,  as  the  girls  re-entered  the  room. 

We  had  reached  the  limit  of  the  orgy,  as  we 
well  knew  from  repeated  exhibitions,  and  we  soon 
tired  of  the  monotony  of  repetition.  Billy  went 
up  to  the  leader  and  spoke  to  her  in  Hawaiian, 
pressing  something  into  her  hand  at  the  same  time. 
She  smiled  broadly  and  looked  almost  handsome  as 
she  showed  her  magnificent  white  teeth. 

Exchanging  alohas,  as  we  went  past  the  group 
of  spectators,  we  slowly  wended  our  way  through  the 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  61 

cocoanut  grove,  until  the  little  cottage  was  lost 
to  view  in  its  nest  of  trees.  We  reached  the  bunga- 
low and  the  lanai  once  more  and  stood  to  watch  the 
silvery  waters  in  a  silence  that  no  one  attempted  to 
break. 

The  march  of  progression  might  be  inspiring 
to  the  true  American  citizen  by  broad  daylight,  but 
it  seemed  only  cruel,  unrelenting  now,  with  the  soft 
radiance  of  a  moon-lit  night  casting  its  spell  of 
witchery  over  us,  as  it  had  over  Hawaii's  chiefs,  and 
over  a  land  that  had  been  theirs.  The  surf  whis- 
pered its  unchanging  secrets  that  bound  the  past 
to  the  present,  the  cocoanuts  still  nodded  their 
plumes  from  the  shore;  the  moon,  the  same  moon 
that  had  shone  on  the  hula  of  the  past,  sailed 
serenely  on  across  the  heavens,  her  goal  the  same 
far  line  where  sea  and  sky  had  ever  met.  Diamond 
Head  curved  its  noble  outline,  the  faithful  moun- 
tain sentinel  that  has  guarded  Waikiki  through 
the  ages.  Progress  might  sweep  on,  but  it  had  no 
power  to  change  Mother  Nature's  enduring  plan. 
The  sound  of  the  hula  drum  came  to  us  fitfully  on 
the  breezes.  Nature's  children  were  still  at  play; 
after  all,  the  tarlatan  was  only  a  concession. 

When  Mrs.  Thornton  and  I  went  in  for  our 
wraps,  we  came  upon  Mrs.  Chandler  trying  a  few 
uncertain  hula  steps  before  the  mirror  in  the  hall. 

She  stopped  with  a  laugh,  when  she  saw  us.  "  It 
looks  easier  than  it  really  is,"  she  said. 

But  it  was  wonderful  how  she  had  caught  even 


62  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

an  idea  of  the  movement,  and  her  eyes  shone  when 
we  told  her  so. 

"  I  love  to  try  a  new  dance ;  I  just  make  a  dash 
at  it  and  somehow " 

She  paused.  The  Commodore  had  appeared  in 
the  doorway. 

"  Ready,  dear  ?  "  he  asked. 

It  was  a  question,  but  there  was  no  mistaking 
that  the  Commodore  himself  was  ready  to  go,  right 
then. 

We  left  Billy  standing  in  the  moonlight,  temper- 
ing the  warmth  of  his  adieux  to  a  perfect  equality, 
while  Mrs.  Spotfield  and  Mrs.  Chandler,  on  either 
side  of  him,  lingered  still  to  say  good-night. 


VI. 

"  TALKING  of  the  navy,"  said  Frank,  thought- 
fully puffing  his  cigarette,  "  if  a  sailor  has  a  sweet- 
heart in  every  port,  it  must  be  on  the  principle  that 
to  every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given." 

"  What  would  Honolulu  be  without  the  navy  ?  " 
I  murmured,  and  my  tones  were  dulcet,  indicating 
recollections  to  fit. 

"  Ask  the  Singlees ! "  muttered  Frank,  rising 
and  taking  his  hat. 

The  Singlees  have  just  married  their  fifth 
daughter  to  a  fifth  officer  in  the  United  States 
Navy.  And  the  Singlee  is  abroad  in  the  land,  no 
two  brothers-in-law  being  stationed  in  the  same  port. 
Besides,  there  are  three  daughters  left,  so  the  fate 
of  three  more  officers  is  sure.  The  Singlee  girls 
are  supposed  to  be  rich,  in  spite  of  their  numbers. 
They  keep  open  house,  and  what  is  generally  known 
as  the  sideboard  in  most  homes  is,  to  quote  their 
steward,  "  All  same  one  bar."  Besides  being  hospit- 
able, the  Singlees  have  an  indisputable  fascination 
all  their  own,  which  makes  them  the  envy  of  the  other 
girls  and  the  despair  of  the  other  mammas,  who  in 
the  face  of  five  Singlee  alliances  never  lose  a  chance 
to  allude  to  the  dash  of  Chinese  blood,  mixed  with 
Hawaiian,  Portuguese,  Spanish,  and  English,  that 
runs  in  the  Singlee  veins.  But  though  ready  to 
supply  the  Singlee  genealogy,  they  give  it  with  a 
lack  of  spontaneity  born  of  the  conviction  that  mixed 

63 


64  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

blood  will  tell.  France  is  among  the  few  countries 
that  cannot  claim  the  Singlees ;  so  the  Singlees,  just 
to  show  it  isn't  their  fault  and  that  they  permit 
no  national  intolerance,  have  showered  French 
names  upon  their  girls  with  reckless  disregard  of  a 
surname  that  suggests  Chinese.  Heloise,  Lucille, 
Clementine,  Lizette,  and  Felicie  are  successfully 
shipped,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  Adrienne, 
Celeste,  and  Leonie  are  still  unattached,  though 
attached  beyond  a  doubt  to  the  navy. 

"  Would  you  consult  the  Singlees'  five  brothers- 
in-law  ?  "  I  inquired  amiably. 

"  I  would,"  returned  Frank.  "  They  may  be 
prejudiced,  but  they're  always  the  navy!"  And 
he  vanished. 

It  is  evident  that,  like  all  the  "  town  boys," 
Frank  is  jealous  of  the  "brass  button."  It  must 
be  trying  to  see  them  constantly  arriving.  They 
come,  they  choose. 

The  California  anchored  in  "  Naval  Row  "  six 
weeks  ago.  They  had  come;  the  next  thing  was  to 
choose.  This  they  did  according  to  their  rank  or 
their  taste — the  higher  their  rank,  the  more  diplo- 
matic their  taste.  Each  ship  that  has  been  with  us 
has  a  list  made  out;  and  to  each  coming  ship  the 
list  and  a  "  tip  "  are  given.  So  the  officers  start 
their  career  on  shore  with  their  eyes  wide  open, 
though,  with  the  spirit  of  chivalry  that  is  part  of 
their  efficacy,  any  officer  who  has  chosen  a  different 
set  from  the  one  in  which  you  shine  will  tell  you  he 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  65 

got  started  wrong.  The  appeal  to  set  him  straight 
is  aimed  direct  at  any  true  woman's  heart.  A  very 
comprehensive  list  was  bidden  to  the  ball  on  the 
California.  Every  man  invited  his  friends ;  he  had 
come,  he  had  chosen. 

"  Oh,  just  look  at  the  moon! "  I  heard  Teddy 
Skelton  say  to  Celeste  Singlee  in  a  tete-a-tete  corner. 

Celeste  is  only  sixteen,  though  confessing  to 
eighteen  in  order  to  be  considered  "  out,"  but  she 
had  met  a  midshipman  or  two  in  her  day,  having 
started  young,  and  she  looked  Teddy  Skelton  in 
the  eye,  knowing  full  well  that  if  she  turned  her 
attention  on  the  moon  any  middy  would  feel  embold- 
ened to  concentrate  his  attention  upon  the  cheek 
turned  to  him.  Celeste  Singlee  is  coy ;  her  five  sis- 
ters had  all  been  coy,  and  Celeste  was  practising. 
So  she  dropped  her  eyes — her  lashes  are  quite  long 
•. — and  when  she  raised  them  the  calm  light  of  reason 
shone  in  their  depths,  for  she  knew  that  naval  rules 
forbade  a  middy  to  marry.  Teddy  Skelton  is  good 
for  buttons,  though;  Celeste  wears  a  bracelet  of 
them.  However,  with  a  supply  has  coirfe  a  demand, 
and  she  wants  a  girdle.  But  that  is  the  trouble  with 
Teddy  Skelton ;  like  all  middies,  he  gives  his  buttons 
lavishly,  but  impartially,  as  it  were.  That  is,  not 
singly  alone  to  one,  but  one  each  to  many.  In  fact, 
he  confesses  frankly  that  sometimes  he  has  to  stop 
and  say  unto  himself,  "  Button,  button,  who's  got 
the  button?" 

Adrienne  Singlee,  being  twenty-two,  though  con- 
5 


66  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

fessing  to  nineteen — the  Singlees  having  a  prejudice 
against  leaving  their  teens — had  an  ensign  in  tow, 
Ashton  Waller.  Ashton  is  intense,  and  he  gives  his 
buttons  with  a  discrimination  that  might  be  called 
rare.  He  knows  all  the  latest  fancy  steps,  and  he 
dances  every  dance,  but  it  doesn't  take  many  girls 
to  go  around  with  Ashton.  Three  girls  may  suffice 
for  twelve  dances;  the  arithmetical  calculation  in- 
volved is  more  complicated,  however,  than  just 
three  times  four,  and  not  quite  so  impartial.  And 
Adrienne  was  plainly  satisfied. 

Ashton  is  attractive  beyond  a  doubt.  He  has 
travelled  and,  being  musical,  he  has  learned  the 
guitar  from  a  dark-eyed  senorita,  and  the  samisen 
from  a  little  musume  in  Japan,  and  Adrienne  has 
taught  him  the  ukulele  so  that  he  plays  it  as  well  as 
she  does  herself,  and  that  is  saying  a  good  deal. 
Adrienne  was  frankly  pleased  with  his  devotion,  and 
at  supper,  when  our  partners  went  off  for  salad, 
she  turned  to  me  and  said: 

"  Ashton  is  so  accomplished,  isn't  he?  " 

And  I  said,  "  Yes."  It  isn't  much  to  repeat,  but 
there  is  so  much  in  the  tone,  and  I  said,  "  Yes," 
warmly. 

"  He  can  speak  every  language,"  she  went  on 
proudly,  "  French,  German,  Hawaiian,  jSpanish, 
Swedish,  Japanese " 

"How  do  you  know?"  I  murmured,  trying  in 
vain  to  recall  any  bump  on  Ashton's  head  that 
would  indicate  linguistic  talent. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  67 

"  I've  heard  him,  of  course,"  said  Adrienne. 
Then  she  blushed  reminiscently,  and,  knowing  the 
ensign  type  myself,  it  was  quite  evident  that  she 
had  been  treated  to  samples  of  the  all-important  verb 
and  its  conjugations.  "  Je  Vaime"  "  Ich  liebe 
dich,"  "  Aloha  nui  " — I  could  just  hear  Ashton's 
inflection.  No  wonder  Adrienne's  assertion  was 
sweeping.  She  had  apparently  inquired  no  fur- 
ther, but  took  the  rest  on  faith.  And  that  should 
be  the  way  of  a  maid  with  a  man — particularly  a 
navy  man. 

Our  partners  came  back  just  then,  and  Guy 
Selby  cast  a  look  of  absolute  agony  straight  into 
my  eyes,  for  Guy  is  a  devotee  of  the  tete-a-tete.  He 
cannot,  or  will  not,  talk  in  a  crowd — anything  over 
two  being  a  crowd. 

"  I  must  have  a  sympathetic  companion  to  draw 
me  out,"  he  had  told  me  earlier  in  the  evening,  when 
we  were  sitting  out  a  square  dance  (Guy  never 
wastes  any  energy  on  a  square  dance).  And  he  left 
no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  I  filled  his  requirements. 
I  could  not  resist  the  appeal  in  his  eyes,  so  I  moved 
off  with  him  and  the  salad,  and  we  went  to  a  shel- 
tered spot,  where  we  could  see  everything,  but  where 
it  would  be  impossible  for  my  next  partner  to  find 
me.  Guy  makes  a  specialty  of  corners  that  might  be 
termed  snug. 

I  realize,  though,  that  Guy  is  elusive  (lieutenants 
generally  are.  He  appears  intense,  in  fact  it's  a 
habitwith  him.  He  talks  beautifully  of  his  sincerity, 


68  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

and  knows  a  lot  about  sympathy  and  affinity.  He 
hints  darkly  of  the  time  that  comes  in  every  man's 
life  when  he  longs  to  settle  down.  Frank  says, 
"  The  nearer  his  orders,  the  darker  his  hints."  It 
is  true  the  California  won't  be  here  much  longer. 
Guy  is  subtle — lieutenants  often  are.  His  dancing 
card  is  an  illegible  enigma  founded  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  never  putting  anything  down  in  black  and 
white;  the  girl  with  whom  he  has  tete-a-teted  would 
never  recognize  herself  thereon.  But  Guy  is  not 
absolutely  invulnerable — lieutenants  seldom  are — 
and  he  is  sure  to  tete-a-tete  once  too  often. 

"  Just  look  at  old  Jerry !  "  he  whispered  with  a 
chuckle. 

And  I  gazed  upon  Lieutenant-Commander  Jere- 
miah L.  Hamilton,  who  was  passing  our  flag-draped, 
sequestered  nook,  while,  oblivious  of  it  and  of  us, 
he  was  unmistakably,  if  surreptitiously,  squeezing 
the  hand  of  his  partner  as  it  lay  upon  his  coat- 
sleeve.  His  partner,  in  white  swiss  with  blue  rib- 
bons and  a  "just  out"  expression  of  shining  en- 
joyment, seemed  to  take  it  philosophically.  Lieu- 
tenant-Commander Jeremiah  L.  Hamilton  is  hand- 
some, with  his  steel-blue  eyes  and  his  dark  hair 
tinged  with  gray  at  the  temples. 

"  He  calls  it  *  fatherly  interest,'  "  murmured 
Guy.  "  After  all,  age  has  its  compensations." 

Captain  Bryce  was  escorting  Mrs.  Fletcher 
across  the  deck.  He  never  forgets  to  be  conserva- 
tive, and  he  remembers  to  forget  the  girls  when  eti- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  69 

quette  demands  abnegation.  It  is  not  all  joy  to  be 
a  captain ;  Mrs.  Fletcher  is  somewhat  pompous  and 
equally  heavy  in  weight  and  ideas.  But  she  has  a 
position. 

"  It's  a  perfect  shame  such  a  nice  boy  should  be 
so  devoted  to  that  Mabel  Solley,"  I  said  as  she 
passed  with  Lieutenant  Bailey. 

"  That  <  nice  boy  '  is  thirty-six  and  married — 
when  he  is  at  home,"  said  Guy.  "  When  he  is  on 
a  cruise,  though,  he  says  he  is  not  a  bigoted  married 
man." 

"  And  he  looks  so  blond  and  so — so " 

"  Exactly  so — innocent,  you  mean.  Well, 
Dicksy  is  all  right;  he's  just  looking  for  types. 
He  says  he  is  not  narrow,  and  he  will  never  have  to 
kick  himself  for  a  snob.  He  has  read  in  a  book 
of  poems,  on  the  Isles  of  the  Pacific,  about  a  dusky 
maiden  in  a  pool,  and  he  says  he  is  not  going  to 
travel  with  his  eyes  shut." 

All  I  replied  was,  "Oh!" 

The  Commodore  and  Mr.  Mitchell  had  been 
standing  near  by  for  several  moments,  earnestly  en- 
gaged in  conversation  and  as  the  band  stopped 
playing,  I  heard  the  Commodore  say : 

"  Don't  mention  it,  my  dear  fellow.  Of  course 
going  about  as  I  do,  I  often  run  upon  chances  like 
this.  I'm  only  too  glad  to  let  my  friends  in  when 
I  can." 

"  He's  a  good  chap  all  right,"  said  Guy,  turn- 
ing to  me.  "  On  one  of  his  trips  he  and  two  or 


70  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

three  other  fellows  came  across  a  guano  island  near 
the  Peruvian  coast.  It's  a  great  find ;  why  some  of 
the  beds  are  fifty  and  sixty  feet  thick.  The  trouble 
is,  there  are  only  a  few  shares,  but  the  Commodore 
was  talking  to  Mitchell,  Jo  Elkins,  and  me,  the 
other  day,  and  he's  going  to  see  what  he  can  do  to 
get  us  in  on  it.  It's  sure  money." 

"  My,  isn't  that  lovely,"  I  said.  And  I  thought 
of  Frank. 

"  The  Commodore  is  lucky,"  said  Guy,  "  but 
he's  generous  and  willing  to  let  others  share  his 
luck,  that's  one  thing  certain." 

"  Come  along,  you  two,"  said  Mrs.  Fletcher,  put- 
ting ruthlessly  aside  one  of  the  carefully 
draped  flags  of  our  nook.  "  We  are  going  to  have 
a  Virginia  Reel,  and  we  want  you  in  our  set." 

Guy  smiled  with  his  mouth  and  looked  daggers 
with  his  eyes.  It  was  quite  a  feat;  still,  you  could 
hardly  call  his  smile  spontaneous.  Mrs.  Fletcher 
smiled  -gaily  back  at  him,  oblivious  of  his  eyes,  being 
satisfied  that  her  rank  and  her  charms  formed  a 
combination  that  made  obedience  at  once  a  duty  and 
a  pleasure. 

Mrs.  Fletcher  is  the  wife  of  Captain  Chauncey 
Riversley  Fletcher,  and  she  came  to  Honolulu  to 
await  the  arrival  of  the  flagship  of  the  Pacific  Sta- 
tion. She  loves  to  dance,  though  somewhat  plump 
for  sustained  exertion.  But  partners  being  forth- 
coming, dancing  is  an  easy  proposition,  at  least  in 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  71 

one  way.  Naval  men  know  their  duty — dances — • 
and  the  majority  do  not  flinch.  Besides,  Mrs. 
Fletcher  is  generally  chaperoning  a  belle  or  two. 

Mrs.  Spotfield  came  up  with  one  of  the  middies 
as  we  reached  the  crowded  part  of  the  deck.  In  pale 
pink,  with  her  little  ankle  strap  slippers  and  her 
skirt  short  enough  to  show  them,  she  gave,  as  usual, 
the  ingenue  effect,  so  dear  to  her  heart. 

"  Have  you  had  supper,  Mrs.  Fletcher?  "  asked 
the  middy.  "  Do  let  me  get  you  some  ice-cream." 

"  Oh,  you  bad  boy !  "  cried  Mrs.  Spotfield  play- 
fully. "  Ice-cream  is  fattening  and  you  know  it. 
Don't  be  tempted,  Mrs.  Fletcher."  She  slipped  her 
arm  through  Mrs.  Fletcher's  and  seemed  uncon- 
scious that  she  looked  particularly  slender  beside 
her. 

Mrs.  Fletcher  did  not  look  happy,  nor  pleasant. 
It  is  not  soothing  to  be  reminded  of  fat  when  you  are 
about  to  indulge  in  a  Virginia  Reel.  "  These  little 
things  are  great  to  little  men."  When  Mrs.  Fletcher 
is  an  admiral's  wife  Mrs.  Spotfield's  husband  may 
wonder  what  has  gone  wrong  with  his  "  pull." 

Mrs.  Thornton,  looking  handsome  in  white, 
with  no  ornament  but  her  diamond  sunburst  scintil- 
lating against  her  hair,  danced  with  Commodore 
Chandler,  and  Mrs.  Chandler  was  next  to  me,  with 
Frank  for  her  vis-a-vis.  She  was  unusually  pretty 
and  dashing  in  a  yellow  crepe  that  clung,  even  to 
the  extent  of  arousing  conjecture  as  to  the  texture 


72  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

of  her  lingerie.  It  was  very  becoming  and  the  color 
seemed  to  bring  out  the  reddish  tints  in  her  hair. 
She  did  not  wear  a  jewel,  nor  an  ornament  of  any 
sort.  But  Mrs.  Chandler,  you  could  see,  knew  how 
and  when  to  refrain.  The  faintest,  most  subtle 
perfume  escaped  in  elusive  whiffs  from  the  meshes 
of  her  lace,  as  she  moved. 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  dancing  with  Billy  Barker, 
but  her  heart  was  not  in  it;  she  was  through  with 
Billy,  and  even  she  couldn't  revive  a  flirtation.  Her 
smiles  and  glances  were  all  directed  at  the  Commo- 
dore. Mrs.  Kapua's  smile  is  very  pretty,  with  its 
flash  of  exquisite  white  teeth,  and  sparkle  of  dark 
eyes.  She  was  dressed  in  white  gauze,  with  her 
gorgeous  ruby  pendant  gleaming  against  her  dark, 
clear  skin,  and  in  her  hair  was  twined  a  lei  of  red 
carnations. 

There's  one  advantage  that  the  Virginia  Reel 
can  boast,  and  it  is,  that  if  you  don't  care  for  your 
partner,  it  really  does  not  matter,  because  there's 
a  row  of  other  partners  facing  you  and  you  can 
forget  your  own. 

Mrs.  Spotfield  forgot  the  middy,  and  when  her 
position  in  the  line  had  moved  until  she  was  at  the 
head  of  it,  and  Billy  Barker  advanced  to  meet  her 
from  the  foot,  it  really  seemed  as  if  the  Reel  was 
going  to  pause  entirely,  while  they  indulged  in  a 
heart-to-heart  talk. 

The  middy,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  youth  and  a 
desire  for  his  turn  to  come,  shouted  out  joyously, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  73 

"Brush  by!" 

Mrs.  Spotfield  laughed  and  blushed,  as  she  re- 
treated to  her  place. 

Mrs.  Chandler  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  The 
usual  navy  type,"  she  murmured,  just  loud  enough 
for  me  to  hear. 

She  refrained  from  saying  any  more,  but  I 
guessed  that  she  was  not  alluding  to  the  middy. 

"  Lieutenant  Selby  evidently  believes  in  monop- 
oly," said  Frank,  claiming  me  after  the  Virginia 
Reel;  his  tone  was  far  from  honeyed. 

"  That's  what  he  always  tells  me,"  I  replied 
brightly. 

And  I  tried  to  look  modest,  though  pleased. 
Jealousy  may  be  a  green-eyed  monster,  but  it  is 
so  soothing  at  times. 

Captain  Bryce  came  along  to  interrupt  us,  with 
a  bevy  of  officers  from  the  Italian  man-of-war, 
in  port  for  ten  days.  Adrienne  Singlee,  the  Thorn- 
tons, the  Chandlers,  Mrs.  Kapua,  Billy  Barker, 
and  Mrs.  Spotfield,  who  were  near  by,  were  intro- 
duced after  Frank  and  I  had  gone  through  the 
ordeal  of  trying  to  catch  and  remember  one  name,  at 
least.  We  all  suffered  in  proportion  to  a  lack  of 
education  in  French,  which  the  officers  spoke,  Eng- 
lish being  quite  beyond  them. 

Of  course  Adrienne  can  speak  a  few  words  of 
Italian;  there  are  just  as  good  fish  in  one  country 
as  ever  came  out  of  another  and  lack  of  language 
would  never  be  the  undoing  of  a  Singlee. 


74  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

A  dapper  little  lieutenant  asked  in  French  from 
what  opera  the  air  was  taken  that  the  singing  boys 
were  giving  with  such  expression.  It  was  a  hula; 
one  suggestive  of  infinite  possibilities.  No  doubt 
the  dapper  lieutenant  thought  that  everything 
musical  must  have  its  origin  in  Italian  opera,  but 
I  wonder  if  he  had  ever  seen  a  stage  production 
that  would  do  justice  to  a  hula. 

I  was  making  up  my  mind  how  to  explain  in 
French,  when  Adrienne  murmured  something  in 
Italian, — or  it  might  have  been  Greek,  as  far  as 
I  knew.  The  officers  looked  puzzled,  but  they  were 
so  polite  that  they  quickly  uttered  something  that 
sounded  credulous,  and  might  have  been :  "  Exactly 
so."  And  Adrienne  seemed  to  feel  confident  that 
she  had  at  least  been  tactful,  if  not  entirely  satis- 
factory. 

As  Frank  said,  who  could  explain  a  Hawaiian 
dance  to  an  Italian?  It  was  asking  too  much  of 
any  language — not  to  speak  of  the  innocence  of 
youth. 

"  Ah,  it's  fascinating,  it's  alive,  it's  an  incentive, 
this  national  dance  of  yours !  "  cried  Mrs.  Chandler. 

She  moved  away  from  her  husband  with  a 
sinuous  twist  of  her  supple  body,  her  arms  and 
hands  waving  in  characteristic  gestures,  wonderfully 
clever  in  imitation. 

It  seemed  almost  involuntary.  We  all  gazed 
at  her  appreciatively.  Billy  Barker  was  fanning 
Mrs.  Spotfield,  but  he  stopped  fanning. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  75 

"  How  did  you  learn ! "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

"Am  I  responsible?  "  asked  Billy  Barker,  with 
ill-concealed  delight,  as  he  left  Mrs.  Spotfield  and 
came  nearer. 

Mrs.  Chandler  had  scored. 

"  Oh,  it's  the  fashion  to  know  the  dance  of 
every  country,"  she  replied,  laughing  over  her 
shoulder  as  she  retreated,  with  the  swaying  move- 
ment of  the  dance  still  further  pronounced. 

I  happened  to  glance  at  the  Commodore;  he 
looked  annoyed,  and  as  the  hem  of  his  wife's  skirt 
trailed  near  him,  he  moved  a  step  forward  and 
put  his  foot  down  on  it  firmly.  About  two  yards 
of  crepe  promptly  responded  to  this  appeal  and 
lay  upon  the  ground. 

As  Adrienne  said  afterwards,  "  Those  polite 
Italians  fell  upon  one  knee  and  offered  pins." 

Frank  asked,  "  Whose  knee  ?  "  And  I  was  weak 
enough  to  laugh,  but  Adrienne  seemed  to  lose  her- 
self in  solving  this  proposition. 

Mrs.  Chandler  looked  more  amused  than  angry. 
She  murmured  something  I  didn't  catch  to  her  hus- 
band, and  he  scowled.  When  he  caught  my  eye  he 
explained  that  he  always  frowned  when  he  faced  an 
electric  light.  But  there  is  a  distinction,  if  not  a 
difference,  between  a  scowl  and  a  frown. 

"  You  jealous  boy !  "  laughed  Mrs.  Chandler,  a 
touch  of  irony  in  her  tone. 

The  Commodore  replied,  but  under  his  breath, 


76  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

so  it  wouldn't  be  fair  to  quote  him,  even  if  it  did 
sound  like:  "  Jealous— Hell !" 

"  I'm  very  proud  of  Mrs.  Chandler's  dancing," 
he  said  quickly,  addressing  us  all ;  "  but  she  has 
scarcely  danced  since  she  was  a  little  child,  though 
it's  one  of  her  natural  gifts." 

"  Oh,  sometimes  I  have  allowed  myself  to  be  per- 
suaded," said  Mrs.  Chandler. 

By  this  time  all  the  pins  were  gone,  or,  rather, 
pinned. 

"  What  an  exquisite  diamond  ornament  that  is 
in  your  hair !  "  said  the  Commodore  to  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton, "  if  you  will  excuse  a  personal  remark." 

"  I  think  it  is  pretty,"  Mrs.  Thornton  rejoined 
modestly,  but  she  beamed  on  the  Commodore.  "  Mr. 
Thornton  took  great  pains  in  selecting  these  stones, 
and  I  really  think  he  is  more  proud  of  my  pin 
than  I." 

"  Incomparable ! "  declared  the  Commodore. 
"  The  Shah  of  Persia  gave  Mrs.  Chandler  a  dia- 
mond that  we  are  taking  to  Tiffany's  to  have  set. 
It  is  a  large  stone,  but  that  middle  one  of  yours  is 
of  even  more  remarkable  purity  and  brilliancy.  It 
makes  your  eyes  seem  all  the  brighter." 

This  was  a  happy  touch — for  Mrs.  Thornton; 
the  rest  of  us  began  to  feel  a  trifle  de  trop,  but 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Harvey  came  along  opportunely, 
and  I  moved  away  a  few  steps  to  shake  hands  with 
them.  I  soon  forgot  all  else  but  their  alleged  deter- 
mination to  make  the  army  as  popular  in  Honolulu 
as  the  navy  has  always  been. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  77 

After  a  dozen  or  so  pleasant  and  politic  remarks, 
Mrs.  Harvey  varied  the  monotony  by  criticising  the 
lack  of  etiquette  existing  in  Honolulu. 

"  You  seem  to  think  it  sufficient  here  for  the 
women  to  call  and  take  their  husbands'  cards,"  she 
said  somewhat  consequentially.  "  The  men  seldom 
think  it  necessary  to  accompany  their  wives." 

I  felt  quite  guilty  until  I  remembered  that,  as  a 
spinster,  I  wasn't  responsible. 

"  Marriage  is  not  a  failure,  because  man  makes 
the  money  and  woman  makes  the  calls,"  I  said,  try- 
ing to  brighten  up  the  situation. 

Mrs.  Harvey  smiled  faintly,  knowing  it  was  ex- 
pected of  her,  but  she  was  standing  on  her  dignity 
and  she  could  scarcely  be  hilarious. 

"  Let  me  introduce  Mrs.  Lumsing,"  I  said,  as 
she  approached  with  her  husband. 

The  Harveys  and  the  Lumsings  exchanged  bows, 
while  Mrs.  Harvey's  eyebrows  asked,  "  Who  are 
the  Lumsings  ?  "  in  a  curve  possible  only  to  the  eye- 
brow of  society.  Mrs.  Lumsing  was  pretty,  but 
dubious  as  to  her  hair,  which  was  brightly  yellow, 
and  enigmatical  as  to  her  gown,  which  was  built 
on  a  "  naught  venture,  naught  have,'5  model  that 
spoke  the  French  artist  in  its  daring  and  betrayed 
the  "  little  dressmaker  "  in  its  finish.  Mr.  Lumsing 
looked  blase,  elegant,  travelled.  His  father  is 
Cheong  Lum  Sing ;  he  wears  a  queue  and  has  risen, 
through  shrewdness  and  sugar,  to  the  dignity  of  a 
rich  merchant.  His  mother  is  a  typical  Hawaiian, 
with  a  predilection  for  the  fattening  poi,  to  which 


78  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

her  figure  testifies.  And  they  sent  young  Fong  Lum 
Sing  to  England  for  an  education.  He  returned  to 
us  Cyril  Lumsing,  with  an  English  wife,  and  an 
English  accent  besides;  a  simple  matter  of  attach- 
ment all  through. 

"  Aw,  by  Jove !  the  effect  of  these  brightly 
colored  flags  is  fetching,  don't  cher  know,"  drawled 
Mr.  Lumsing  twirling  his  monocle.  "  How  smart 
Mrs.  Thornton's  gown  is  to-night!  She's  a  ripping 
good  sort  all  around." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Mrs.  Lumsing ;  her  voice  held 
a  soft  note,  but,  alas,  it  was  cockney.  "  Doesn't 
Mrs.  Thornton  remind  you  of  Lady  Georgiana,  my 
cousin,  Cyril?  " 

"  Aw,  yes,  by  Jove !  " 

But  everybody  forgot  Lady  Georgiana,  for 
Cheong  Lum  Sing  in  gorgeous  purple  blouse,  with 
head  newly  shaven  to  his  queue,  and  his  wife,  colossal 
in  bulk  and  only  a  few  shades  fairer  than  her  black 
silk  holoku,  joined  the  family  group. 

"  We  have  been  looking  for  you,  papa,"  said 
Mrs.  Lumsing. 

And  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Harvey  looked  bewildered 
and  helpless  withal,  which  is  not  unusual  in  the 
face  of  a  Chinese  puzzle.  The  strains  of  "  Sobre 
las  Olas  "  pulsated  about  us  with  its  lingering  notes 
of  sweetness. 

I  turned  and  started  towards  Frank  who  was 
waiting  for  me  a  short  distance  off. 

"  You  can't  be  too  careful !  "  I  heard  the  Com- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  79 

modore's  voice  mutter  as  I  paused  for  a  moment 
to  watch  the  waltzers  circling  around  the  broad 
deck,  gay  with  bunting,  electric  lights,  palms,  and 
flowers,  a  group  of  interested  sailors  in  white  mak- 
ing an  effective  background.  I  was  in  a  quiet  spot 
by  an  innocent  looking  flag.  Evidently  the  Com- 
modore was  on  the  other  side ;  any  flag  on  the  Call- 
fornia  was  apt  to  mean  a  tete-a-tete  corner  behind  it. 

"  It's  sure  to  come  sooner  or  later — it  always 
comes,  as  we  know  by  precious  experience,  but  I 
don't  care  to  hurry  it  by  fool  invitation,"  growled 
the  Commodore.  "  A  false  move " 

"  Means  a  trip,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Chandler's 
voice  impatiently.  "  Don't  be  so  cross  about  it ; 
I'll  be  careful,  but  you " 

"  I  have  to,"  rejoined  the  Commodore  hastily. 
"  Where  would  you  be  if  I  didn't  look  out  for 
you?" 

It  seemed  to  me  it  was  about  time  for  me  to  go 
on  and  point  the  distinction  between  overhearing 
and  listening. 

"  Phew !  but  it's  hot !  "  said  Frank  as  I  reached 
him.  "  It's  by  the  sweat  of  our  brows,  verily,  that 
we  know  society  in  the  tropics." 

"  Oh,  Frank !  "  I  said.  "  I  wish  you  could  get 
some  stock  in  the  Commodore's  guano  island.  Such 
a  chance — Jo  Elkins  and  Mr.  Mitchell  and " 

"  That's  one  thing  decent  about  the  Commo- 
dore, I  must  admit,"  interposed  Frank.  "  He  is 
willing  to  let  others  in  on  a  lucky  find.  But  I 


80  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

couldn't  go  in  on  a  thing  like  that,  even  if  I  had 
the  chance.  It  takes  surplus  coin,  you  know." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  I  said  reluctantly ;  and  I  tried 
to  smother  a  sigh.  "  The  Commodore  is  really 
devoted  to  his  wife,"  I  continued  irrelevantly.  "  I 
think  she  must  be  delicate;  he's  so  solicitous  of  her 
health." 

"  He  doesn't  seem  happy  to-night,"  rejoined 
Frank,  an  element  of  unadulterated  joy  in  his  voice. 
"  I'll  bet  a  hat  he's  been  losing  at  poker  again." 

"  He's  a  great  card  player,  isn't  he?  " 

"  Yes,  he  always  gets  up  a  game,  but  he's 
been  losing  steadily." 

"  You're  sympathetic !  "  I  observed. 

"  I  haven't  taken  a  fancy  to  him,"  admitted 
Frank. 

"  That's  plain." 

"  Well,  when  I  don't  fancy  a  person,  I  won't 
make  a  secret  of  it." 

"  And  when  you  do  fancy  ?  " 

"  It's  wiser  to  make  a  secret  of  that  sometimes." 

"  That's  an  open  question !  " 

"  Open  questions  are  doubtful ;  often  they  should 
be  shut." 

"  If  you're  trying  to  say  6  shut  up,'  take  a 
straight  route,"  I  suggested  cheerily. 

"  If  I  dared  take  a  straight  route " 

"  Give  me  this  waltz,"  demanded  Guy  in  his  own 
inimitable  way, — the  requests  of  other  men  always 
paled  beside  his  flattering  force. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  81 

I  had  not  seen  him  coming,  and  this  was  so 
sudden  I  almost  fell  into  his  arms.  As  the  music 
stopped,  we  did. 

"  A  perfect  waltz ;  you  danced  as  if  your  soul 
were  in  it !  "  whispered  Guy  tenderly,  and,  not  to 
be  contradxtory,  I  bestowed  a  soulful  glance  upon 
him. 

I  was  thinking  that  Frank  would  have  dared  to 
say,  "  Shut  up  " — with  polite  modulation,  of  course. 

All  roads  may  lead  to  Rome,  but  where  would 
that  straight  route  have  led  that  Frank  hesitated 
to  take? 

I  wonder. 


VII. 

"  OH,  by  the  way,"  said  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

I  felt  as  if  we  were  coming  to  the  postscript 
of  a  letter.  I  had  surmised  that  Mrs.  Spotfield's 
visit  was  not  for  love  of  me  alone.  We  had  dis- 
cussed the  possibility  of  rain,  the  cleverness  of 
Japanese  maids,  the  ball  on  the  California,  and  there 
had  come  a  pause. 

"  By  the  way,  I  wonder  if  you  could  tell  me  how 
to  go  about  getting  a  hula  teacher.  I  am  crazy 
to  learn  a  few  steps  just  to  surprise  Johnnie  when 
he  comes." 

"  It  is  graceful,  isn't  it?  "  I  responded.  "  But 
it  is  not  easy.  I  never  have  been  able  to  imitate 
those  gestures." 

"  I  really  would  not  call  it  graceful,"  inter- 
posed Mrs.  Spotfield.  "  I  was  so  surprised  when 
Mr.  Barker  used  that  word  in  connection  with  such 
an  exhibition.  I  suppose  his  native  wife  taught 
him  to  like  it." 

"  Oh,  but  Mrs.  Spotfield,  you  could  hardly 
judge;  who  could  be  graceful  in  stiff  tarlatan 
skirts ! " 

"  And  then,  take  Mrs.  Chandler's  dancing  of 
it ! "  supplemented  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

"Why,  I  thought  she  did  it  so  cleverly!"  I 
cried. 

"Did  you?" 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  85 

Mrs.  Spotfield  accented  this  simple  remark  with 
a  nicety  so  calculated  that  I  was  divided  between 
a  desire  to  throw  something  at  her  and  a  wish  that 
I  could  find  a  reason  for  it. 

"  Mrs.  Chandler  is  a  very  attractive  woman," 
she  continued,  "  but  one  can  see  that  she  never 
learned  to  dance  until  her  bones  were  formed. 
Perhaps  she  wasn't  born  to  a  circle  of  society  where 
dancing  is  a  necessary  accomplishment — you  can 
never  tell.  And  you  know  how  it  is  when  you  learn 
later  in  life — there's  never  the  same  suppleness." 

"  But  you  really  have  no  idea  how  hard  it  is 
to  learn  the  hula,  Mrs.  Spotfield.  And  I  know, 
after  you  try,  you'll  think  as  I  do,  that  it  is  won- 
derful how  Mrs.  Chandler  has  caught  it." 

"  Oh,  I  do  think  it  is  wonderful,  simply  wonder- 
ful," agreed  Mrs.  Spotfield.  "  Still,  it  is  only  a 
wriggle,  after  all.  Once  catch  the  secret  and  it  is 
yours.  It  would  not  be  remarkable  for  me  to  grasp 
it ;  I  was  born  a  dancer.  It  came  to  me  intuitively. 
Every  one  said  when  I  married  Johnnie  Spotfield 
that  it  was  an  ideal  match  as  we  would  dance 
through  life  together.  He's  the  best  waltzer  in  the 
Navy,  and  that's  saying  a  lot,  you  know." 

I  warmly  assented. 

"  Guy  Selby  is  the  next  best,  and  he  says  he 
would  rather  have  you  for  a  partner  than  any  one 
in  Honolulu;  he  doesn't  even  except  me,  the  bad 
boy." 

I  was  weak  enough  to  feel  pleased. 


84  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Perhaps  Mrs.  Kapua  would  show  you  the 
hula,"  I  began. 

"Mrs.  Kapua?  Oh,  lovely!  Do  you  think 
she  would?" 

"  We  might  go  and  ask  her,"  I  suggested. 

As  we  entered  Mrs.  Kapua's  lanai,  screened 
from  the  passer-by  with  its  luxuriantly  growing 
vines,  Commodore  Chandler  rose  from  a  big  arm 
chair,  and  a  cloud  of  smoke,  and  essayed  a  pleasant 
smile  at  our  arrival. 

Mrs.  Kapua  greeted  us  with  the  cordiality  pecu- 
liar to  Hawaii.  Just  a  musical  murmur,  with  its 
note  of  caress,  a  gesture,  and  we  were  welcome.  As 
usual,  she  was  in  white,  but  instead  of  her  favorite 
red  carnations,  she  had  about  her  neck  a  lei  of 
yellow  ilima  blossoms. 

"  Do  you  object  to  smoking?  "  asked  the  Com- 
modore. 

His  tone  was  quite  genial  and  made  up  for  any 
lack  of  warmth  in  his  greeting.  We  assured  him 
that  we  did  not  and  he  assured  us  that  our  good 
hearts  would  win  us  a  seat — or  two  seats — in 
Heaven.  We  assured  him  that  his  cigar  was  so 
good  that  the  goodness  in  our  hearts  was  not  so 
heavenly,  after  all.  He  assured  us  that  were  the 
cigar  less  good,  it  would  refuse  to  smoke  in  our 
society. 

By  this  time,  I  dropped  out.  Mrs.  Spotfield  and 
he  proceeded.  We  sat  and  listened.  Mrs.  Kapua 
retained  her  admirable  composure,  but  I  didn't  have 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  85 

so  much  to  start  with  and  mine  had  all  evaporated. 
Why  not  get  to  the  object  of  our  visit? 

"  We  came  to  ask  Mrs.  Kapua  to  teach  Mrs. 
Spotfield,— "  I  began— 

"  To  teach  me  how  to  swim  with  that  wonderful 
stroke  of  yours,"  Mrs.  Spotfield  quickly  interposed. 

And  she  gave  me  a  glance  that  indicated  the 
Commodore's  presence.  Mrs.  Spotfield  had  never 
struck  me  as  being  a  prude  before. 

"  Why  certainly,"  assented  Mrs.  Kapua  calmly. 

She  was  a  true  child  of  the  Islands,  gracious, 
generous,  charming  in  her  spirit  of  hospitality,  sin- 
cere in  her  anxiety  to  please,  but  Mrs.  Kapua  knew 
that  no  malihini  could  rival  her  in  the  water  and  she 
never  hesitated  to  teach  all  she  knew,  from  surf- 
board riding  to  simple  every-day  swimming.  Neither 
would  she  have  refused  to  teach  the  hula  if  she  had 
been  asked. 

"  But  which  stroke  do  you  want  to  learn,  Mrs. 
Spotfield?" 

As  Mrs.  Spotfield  didn't  know  one  from  another 
and  didn't  want  to  learn  any,  she  paused  an  instant. 

"  Well,  the  one  that  shoots  you  through  the 
water,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  Mrs.  Kapua  was  probably  not  en- 
lightened, but  she  was  too  tactful  to  let  this  appear. 
"  Suppose  we  go  in  now,"  she  proposed,  "  and  I 
will  give  you  a  lesson;  I  have  plenty  of  bathing 
suits." 

She  was  a  picture  of  grace  and  ease  as  she  re- 


86  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

dined  in  a  long  wicker  chair,  her  head  resting 
against  cushions  of  a  golden  hue.  But,  with  a  quick 
movement,  she  was  out  of  it.  It  is  not  easy  to  rise 
from  a  steamer  chair  without  a  hitch  in  the  proceed- 
ing, but  Mrs.  Kapua's  firm  muscles,  trained  by 
a  daily  swim,  and  by  riding,  and  tennis,  and  all 
the  outdoor  sports  loved  by  the  Hawaiians,  were 
under  perfect  control. 

"  Oh  no,  not  now !  "  protested  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

Poor  Mrs.  Spotfield;  she  really  had  no  love  for 
the  water. 

"  I  wouldn't  learn  before  the  Commodore  for 
anything,"  she  added  with  a  coquettish  glance. 

"I'm  off  for  the  Gelda! "  The  Commodore 
seized  his  hat. 

"  Nonsense, — don't  go !  "  cried  Mrs.  Spotfield. 
"  Now  be  good  and  sit  down  again." 

The  Commodore  gave  an  involuntary  start. 
There  was  a  quick  foot-fall  on  the  garden  walk, 
and  a  light  run  up  the  low  steps. 

"  Aloha,"  called  Mrs.  Chandler's  voice.  "  Here 
I  am." 

And  she  appeared  in  an  opening  of  the  vines 
at  the  side  of  the  lanai.  She  looked  from  one  to 
the  other  of  us.  Her  expression  changed.  One 
might  have  thought  she  was  disappointed. 

Mrs.  Kapua  went  forward  to  where  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler stood,  apparently  rooted  amidst  the  vines. 

"Why,  I  thought  you  said  Thursday  eh,  and 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  87 

to-day  is  Wednesday.  But  it  is  all  right, — one 
day  is  as  good  as  another ;  so  come  in  and  I'll " 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  was  going  to  teach  me  a  new 
embroidery  stitch,"  interposed  Mrs.  Chandler,  as 
she  came  forward  and  nodded  gaily  all  around. 
"  I  thought  you  would  be  at  the  Club,"  she  added. 

She  looked  at  the  Commodore  and  he  looked  at 
her.  I  had  no  one  to  look  at  and  I  was  sorry  Frank 
had  gone  to  Maui  to  try  a  case.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  Mrs.  Kapua  does  not  do  fancy  work.  If  she 
had  an  extra  hour,  she  would  be  more  likely  to  go 
into  the  sea.  Mrs.  Chandler  was  disturbed,  but  it 
didn't  seem  to  be  because  she  objected  to  finding 
the  Commodore  making  an  afternoon  call  without 
her.  She  never  seemed  jealous  of  the  Commodore. 
She  appeared  almost  guilty,  more  as  if  she  were 
discovered  and  not  as  though  she  had  discovered 
him. 

"  There  was  no  one  at  the  Club  and  I  just 
dropped  in  to  ask  Mrs.  Kapua  to  come  on  board  to 
tea,"  explained  the  Commodore,  gallantly  falling 
in  line,  for  explanations  were  certainly  in  order. 

We  all  sat  down  and  made  conversation.  It  was 
labored  beyond  a  doubt.  The  end  of  each  subject 
was  plainly  in  sight  at  its  introduction  and  one  topic 
followed  another,  each  failing  in  expansion  as  effec- 
tually as  the  one  before,  while  Mrs.  Kapua's  musical 
interjections  struck  the  final  chord.  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler sat  on  the  edge  of  her  chair,  like  a  pretty  bird 


88  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ready  for  flight.  Mrs.  Spotfield  looked  at  her, 
when  her  head  was  turned  the  other  way,  and 
through  her,  when  she  met  her  eye.  The  Commodore 
bit  the  cigar  he  had  been  smoking  and  growled  his 
polite  remarks.  Only  Mrs.  Kapua's  serenity  was 
undisturbed.  She  was  not  the  kind  of  hostess  to  be 
affected  by  pauses;  she  would  probably  have  pre- 
ferred them  to  the  brain  fag  threatening  one  and 
all  from  a  reckless  squandering  of  ideas. 

The  latest  novel  was  settled  in  two  sentences ; 
even  the  weather  theme  consumed  only  three. 

Mrs.  Chandler  told  us  the  plot  of  a  vaudeville 
sketch :  "  Now  making  a  hit  on  the  circuit."  But  it 
was  hard  to  see  why  it  had  succeeded. 

The  Commodore  rose  to  hunt  for  an  ash  tray 
and  no  one  reminded  him  that  one  was  by  his  side; 
action  was  too  badly  needed. 

Through  the  vines  crept  gentle  little  breezes,  in 
waves  of  scented  warmth.  Whiffs  of  ylang  ylang, 
and  jessamine,  of  magnolia  blossoms,  and  of  grow- 
ing limes,  and  figs,  blended  delicately  with  the  soft 
air  and  added  to  its  balm.  In  their  huge  pots  about 
the  lanai,  the  tall  palms  and  drooping  ferns  rustled 
faintly  as  if  to  catch  the  delicious  fragrance  and 
waft  it  back  again.  The  hanging  baskets  of  maiden 
hair,  big  balls  of  feathery  green,  swayed  respon- 
sive too.  The  surf  came  to  us  in  sighing  murmurs, 
lazily  rolling  in  the  summer  calm. 

But,  I  was  thinking  what  to  say  next  and  well 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  89 

aware  that  this  disturbance  of  mind  was  equally 
divided  among  us  on  the  lanai. 

A  low  whistle  from  near-by  was  repeated  nearer, 
and  still  nearer.  The  vines  parted  and  a  hand  was 
put  through,  waving  in  the  air  with  an  effect  almost 
weird.  Mrs.  Kapua  peered  through  the  vines  and 
laughed. 

"  Mr.  William  Barker  eh,"  she  announced. 

And  every  one  heaved  a  sigh,  deep  in  proportion 
to  its  relief. 

"I've  been  manicured,"  confided  Mr.  Barker, 
as  he  joined  us  in  the  lanai  "  so  I  thought  I  would 
enter  that  way, — put  my  best  hand  forward,  so  to 
speak." 

"  Manicured  ?  Sounds  interesting,"  said  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  moving  up  on  the  sofa  and  smiling  at 
Billy. 

He  sat  down  beside  her.  "  It  is  interesting ;  all 
the  boys  go  to  be  manicured  now.  Formerly  we  had 
an  overdressed,  overblondined  and  overtalkative 
lady,  who  came  and  settled  in  our  midst." 

"And  what's  doing  now?"  asked  the  Commo- 
dore, with  undisguised  interest. 

"  Half  Chinese  and  half  Hawaiian — good  look- 
ing, neat,  simple,  and  quiet.  Mrs.  Lumsing  had  the 
girls  taught  and  put  them  up  in  business.  They're 
the  joy,  and  pet  advertisement,  of  the  Promotion 
Committee.  And  besides,  they've  run  the  blonde 
manicure  lady  out," 


90  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Mrs.  Lumsing?  I  believe  I  saw  her  on  the 
California;  perhaps  she  didn't  want  a  rival  blonde 
in  town."  Mrs.  Spotfield's  tone  was  more  than  a 
little  superior. 

"  Let  me  tell  you  about  Mrs.  Lumsing,"  I  began 
warmly,  "  she  really  deserves  a  lot  of  credit.  She 
came  here  a  perfect  stranger,  a  bride,  about  a  year 
ago.  The  papers  were  full  of  stories  about  her,  an 
English  girl,  a  vaudeville  actress,  who  had  left  the 
allurement  of  the  stage  to  marry  a  Chinese  student 
and  all  the  rest  of  it,  including  speculations  as  to 
the  possible  outcome  of  such  a  match.  Of  course 
the  Lumsings  are  rich,  still  it  seemed  a  risky  mar- 
riage. We  suspected  that  Cyril  Lumsing  had  won 
her  with  some  wonderful  Claude  Melnotte  story  and 
we  felt  sorry  for  her.  Everybody  called " 

"  Between  curiosity  and  business  interests,  and 
with  sympathy  on  tap,  Honolulu  turned  out,"  inter- 
polated Billy. 

"  And  we  found  that  instead  of  moping  and  look- 
ing unhappy,  instead  of  making  a  tragedy  out  of  her 
strange  position  and  getting  pale  and  thin  over  the 
task  of  trying  to  adjust  herself  to  Chinese  tradition 
and  Hawaiian  habits,  Mrs.  Cyril  was  full  of  inter- 
ested plans,  social,  intellectual,  and  charitable.  She 
is  fast  winning  for  herself  a  place  in  the  com- 
munity." 

"  How  clever ! "  murmured  Mrs.  Chandler. 
"  She's  actually  revelling  in  a  unique  situation ; 
she  saw  the  dramatic  possibilities,  took  Honolulu 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  91 

for  her  stage  and  is  featuring  those  Chinese- 
Hawaiian  girls, — lovely !  " 

"  I've  often  noticed  the  Chinese-Hawaiian  girls, 
a  new  race  of  beauties  growing  up  in  your  midst ; 
they're  like  sleek  seals,"  said  the  Commodore. 

"  How  awful, — such  a  mixture !  "  cried  Mrs. 
Spotfield. 

"  The  Chinese  is  an  ideal  husband ;  he  is  a  good 
provider."  Mrs.  Kapua  spoke  feelingly. 

Mr.  Kapua,  after  the  manner  of  the  Hawaiian 
husband,  had  never  provided.  He  had  lived  on  his 
wife's  money  and  might  have  even  succeeded  in 
spending  it  all,  if  he  hadn't  died  young. 

"  Oh,  do  tell  us  more  about  Mrs.  Lumsing." 
Mrs.  Chandler's  eyes  were  bright  with  interest. 

I  laughed :  '  It's  too  long  a  story ;  she  really 
would  fill  a  book." 

"  Well,  how  are  we  getting  on  with  the  hula?  " 
enquired  Mr.  Barker  genially,  if  not  altogether 
apropos. 

This  bomb  seemed  to  be  thrown  inadvertently, 
and  if  it  exploded,  no  one  jumped.  But  it  occurred 
to  me  that  perhaps  Mr.  Barker  had  been  recom- 
mending Mrs.  Kapua  as  a  teacher  too. 

"  Mrs.  Chandler,  how  far  have  you  progressed? 
There  was  not  much  more  for  you  to  learn." 

"  Oh,  I "  began  Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  Dancing  is  not  Mrs.  Chandler's  trump  card," 
the  Commodore  interposed.  "  Now  Mrs.  Spotfield  is 
a  born  dancer — any  one  can  see  that — she  could 


92  A  JEWEL'  OP  THE  SEAS 

learn  the  hula.  No  doubt  you  have  learnt  it,  Mrs. 
Spotfield  ?  Won't  you  dance  for  us  ?  " 

"Not  I!"  cried  Mrs.  Spotfield.  "Aren't  you 
awful  to  suggest  such  a  thing;  I  don't  know  a  step 
of  it.  It's  quite  bad  enough  for  me  to  plead  guilty 
to  the  skirt  dance." 

Mrs.  Spotfield  smiled  and  looked  too  young  to 
be  guilty  of  anything. 

66  You  certainly  would  have  to  be  a  child  of 
nature  and  forget  those  awful  modern  dances,  before 
you  could  learn,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua  in  her  musical 
voice. 

The  Commodore  probably  did  not  know  that 
Mrs.  Kapua  never  lost  her  temper.  He  looked 
from  her  to  Mrs.  Spotfield  expectantly,  and  back 
again.  The  ground  they  were  treading  on  was 
rather  dangerous.  The  Commodore  did  not  seem 
dismayed.  In  fact,  judging  by  his  expression,  his 
thoughts  ran :  "  If  I  can't  see  a  hula,  I  may  see 
a  fight."  I  began  to  believe  that  the  Commodore 
was  a  man  of  primitive  instincts. 

"  Poor  old  Hawaii  nei"  said  Mrs.  Kapua,  lin- 
gering on  each  word  with  her  tones  of  tender  caress. 
"  We  are  not  really  so  wicked  here,  although  it  is 
true  we  have  vulgarity,  just  as  you  have  it.  But 
in  our  spirit  of  accepting  it  lies  the  difference.  We 
are  taught  to  criticize  the  act,  if  we  must, — but 
the  actor,  we  do  not  judge.  If  we  know  anything  to 
the  discredit  of  either  friend,  or  foe,  we  pretend 
we  don't  eh.  We,  in  Hawaii,  are  nice  to  every 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  95 

one  and  if  our  worst  enemy  speaks  to  us  of  friend- 
ship, we  only  answer:  '  Ae-e-e — • — '  and  seem  to 
believe." 

Mrs.  Kapua  paused  and  no  one  spoke.  ^Whether 
she  meant  to  speak  for  her  country,  or  to  read  a 
lesson  to  Mrs.  Spotfield,  her  soft  eyes  did  not  be- 
tray, nor  did  the  music  in  her  voice  reveal.  Seem- 
ingly she  had  forgotten  us  and  her  loved  Hawaii  nel 
was  her  only  passion. 

"  The  hula  kui"  she  resumed,  "  was  in  the  old 
days,  the  Military  Hula,  and  danced  only  by  men. 
There  was  nothing  objectionable  in  it  and  through 
that,  I  suppose,  the  modified  form  has  come  to  be 
called  the  kui.  It  could  not  shock  the  most  prudish." 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Kapua,  do  show  us  how  you  dance 
it,"  I  interposed. 

"Oh  do!"  cried  Mrs.  Chandler,  sitting  for- 
ward. 

"  Oh  yes,  please,"  Mrs.  Spotfield  begged  girl- 
ishly. 

"  Wela  ka  haul  "  shouted  Billy  Barker,  throw- 
ing his  hat  in  the  air  and  catching  it  with  consider- 
able skill. 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  laughingly  obdurate. 

The  Commodore  rose,  and  bending  over  her  he 
said,  with  considerable  sincerity  in  his  voice,  "  I 
hope  you  will  consent — for  us — Mrs.  Kapua." 

She  looked  up  at  him.  With  a  gesture  of  sur- 
render, she  slowly  rose  to  her  full  height  and  threw 
back  her  head. 


94  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

For  a  moment  she  stood  gracefully,  her  figure 
beautiful,  firm,  unrestricted,  the  waist  line  not  too 
clearly  defined,  and  with  the  wonderful  poise  pos- 
sible to  her  well-trained  muscles. 

She  began  to  hum  in  an  undertone,  changing  the 
key  once,  or  twice,  as  though  she  had  not  quite  got 
it  to  suit  her,  all  the  while  slightly  moving  her  body 
and  waving  her  arms  to  and  from  her  in  the  charac- 
teristic fluctuations,  so  distinctively  a  feature  of  the 
dance. 

Billy  Barker  picked  up  a  tiny  ukulele  and 
struck  a  few  chords. 

"  How's  this  ?  "  With  an  inimitable  swing  and 
dash,  he  started  the  inspiriting  strains  of  our  most 
popular  hula.  It  was  one  frequently  played  for  a 
two-step  and  we  all  knew  it  well. 

Mrs.  Kapua  listened  for  a  moment  with  a  smile 
disclosing  her  exquisite  teeth.  She  broke  into  an 
accompanying  song  in  Hawaiian,  the  peculiar 
accentuation  exaggerated,  until  every  one  of  us  was 
marking  the  time  with  a  regular  clapping,  or 
stamping. 

There  was  a  hint  only  of  the  kui  in  a  rhythmic 
motion  of  her  lithe  body,  but  a  story  of  flowers 
and  of  love,  as  though  to  compare  the  opening  of  a 
blossom  to  the  awakening  of  a  heart,  was  told  in  her 
supple  hands,  her  flexible  wrists,  her  tapering  fin- 
gers. And  then  she  began  to  dance  with  an  undula- 
tion that  grew  more  pronounced,  but  was  always 
precisely  gauged  to  a  stopping  point  full  of  grace 


'A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  95 

and  a  certain  delicacy  of  insinuation.  Hands,  arms, 
body,  and  expression,  unfolded  an  ever-changing 
story,  ever-old  and  ever-new,  telling  it  in  gestures, 
and  confirming  it  with  a  sparkle  of  dark  eyes.  But, 
with  a  twist  of  the  wrist,  she  vacillated  and  began 
again,  with  a  suggestion  of  caress,  a  confession  of 
wavering,  a  promise  of  capitulation.  With  a  sinu- 
ous motion,  she  came  towards  us,  retreating  with  a 
spiral  twisting,  back  and  forth,  with  undeviating 
regularity,  but  the  imagination  was  constantly 
aroused  by  the  invitation  of  the  advance,  the 
coquetry  of  a  sudden  restraint,  the  subtle  signifi- 
cance in  gesticulations  half  caught  in  their  quick 
changes. 

A  rich  color  flushed  in  her  dark,  clear  skin;  a 
light  shone  in  her  eyes,  deepening,  and  glowing, 
softening  and  provocative ;  a  dimple  came  and  went 
at  the  corners  of  her  upturned  mouth. 

Mrs.  Kapua  paused  before  the  Commodore,  at 
last,  with  a  breathless  little  laugh.  Perhaps  she 
thought  it  was  time  to  interrupt  the  expression  with 
which  he  was  devouring  her.  It  was  plain  that  the 
Commodore  had  forgotten  there  was  anybody  in 
the  world  but  Mrs.  Kapua.  He  seemed  absolutely 
fascinated. 

I  must  say  I  was  glad  that  Frank  was  on  Maui. 

I  glanced  at  Mrs.  Spotfield;  she  was  still 
brightly  animated  and  I  knew  she  thought  that  she 
could  learn  the  hula.  Perhaps  she  saw  only  a  wrig- 
gle. But  Mrs.  Chandler  looked  discouraged. 


96  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Shall  we  go  on  the  Gelda  for  tea?  "  she  asked, 
after  a  few  moments. 

Billy  Barker  accepted  promptly.  And  Mrs. 
Spotfield  almost  simultaneously.  She  was  going 
to  take  no  risks  with  Mr.  Barker. 

Mrs.  Chandler  slipped  her  arm  through  mine: 
"  Please  come,"  she  said. 

And  as  Frank  was  on  Maui 

The  Commodore  and  Mrs.  Kapua  were  already 
sauntering  towards  the  gate. 


VIII. 

WHEN  we  were  climbing  the  Gelda's  ladder,  Mrs. 
Spotfield  was  right  behind  me. 

"  Don't  tell  Mrs.  Chandler  or  the  Commodore 
why  we  went  to  Mrs.  Kapua's,"  she  whispered  to 
me ;  "  a  secret  shared  by  so  many  is  no  secret  at  all ; 
and  I  do  so  want  to  surprise  Johnnie." 

I  promised  her  I  would  say  nothing. 

"  And  you  know,"  she  added,  "  it  would  be 
exactly  like  Mrs.  Chandler  to  want  to  learn  it  too, 
just  because  she  thinks  Mr.  Barker  is  so  crazy 
over  it." 

The  Commodore,  who  had  run  nimbly  up  the 
ladder,  ahead  of  us,  was  standing  at  the  top,  and 
as  he  helped  each  of  us  on  to  the  deck,  he  made 
some  remark  that  was  at  once  welcoming  and  com- 
plimentary. We  were  used  to  this  ready  gallantry 
in  the  Navy.  It  really  seemed  as  if  all  sailors 
must  be  born  with  a  love  for  the  ladies,  as  well 
as  a  love  for  the  sea.  When  I  said  this  to  the  Com- 
modore, he  replied  that  it  was  the  element  of  uncer- 
tainty in  both. 

"  All  games  of  chance  interest  me ! "  he  ex- 
claimed. "  And  talking  of  games,  we  must  have 
one,"  he  added,  turning  to  the  others.  "  We  can 
play  on  deck ;  there  isn't  too  much  breeze." 

"  Not  until  after  tea,"  declared  Mrs.  Chandler. 
"  I  am  no  card  player,  so  I  can  remember  distinctly 
that  you  were  all  promised  tea.  Where  are  the 
1  97 


98  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

manners  of  my  husband !  "  She  shook  her  finger 
at  him  playfully. 

But,  after  tea,  it  was  Mrs.  Chandler  who  rang 
for  one  of  the  stewards  and  had  him  bring  out  a 
card  table.  The  Commodore  looked  up  from  the 
conversation  he  was  having  with  Billy  Barker,  in 
which  he  had  been  absorbed. 

"Why,  I'd  forgotten,"  he  said,  "that's  so;  we 
did  speak  of  having  a  game,  didn't  we  ?  " 

"  Oh  yes,  a  .game  by  all  means  eh,"  said  Mrs. 
Kapua  eagerly;  she  was  always  ready  for  cards. 
"  Shall  it  be  poker,  or  bridge?  " 

Bridge  was  finally  decided  on.  The  usual  pre- 
liminaries followed  and  when  it  was  discovered  that 
Mrs.  Spotfield,  Mrs.  Chandler,  and  I,  did  not  con- 
sider ourselves  sufficiently  expert  to  make  the 
fourth,  the  Commodore,  with  a  truly  soothing  indif- 
ference, assured  us  that  they  would  really  rather 
talk  and  enjoy  the  scenery  anyway. 

"  Why  not  get  the  Doctor  to  play  ?  "  suggested 
Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  By  Jove,  good  idea !  "  acceded  her  husband. 

"He  is  not  a  society  man;  we  just  can't  make 
him  go  out ;  but,  he's  obliging  and  he  doesn't  mind 
cards  so  much,"  explained  Mrs.  Chandler. 

The  Commodore  began  to  demur  again  about 
leaving  Mrs.  Spotfield  and  me  out  in  the  cold,  but 
we  persuaded  him  that  we  really  would  enjoy  look- 
ing on. 

The      Doctor — Dr.      Stirling      Dwinelle — was 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  99 

brought  on,  so  to  speak.  He  shook  hands  all 
around,  a  neutral  sort  of  handshake  that  left  no 
distinct  impression.  I  could  well  believe  he  was 
not  a  society  man;  his  manner  did  not  have  the 
ease  of  the  Commodore. 

The  cards  were  cut,  and  the  game  was  started 
without  further  delay. 

"What  are  we  playing  for?"  asked  Mrs. 
Kapua. 

"  Five  cents  ?  "  The  Commodore  looked  from 
one  to  the  other.  Each  assented. 

"  Auction,  of  course,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"Auction!  And  five  cents!  Goodness,  I 
thought  it  was  straight  Bridge ! "  Mrs.  Kapua 
exclaimed. 

"  Suppose  we  put  the  game  lower, — say  two 
cents,"  proposed  the  Commodore. 

"  Just  as  you  like — five  cents  is  all  right  for 
me."  The  Doctor  spoke  quickly,  but  tentatively. 

Mr.  Barker  nodded.  The  Commodore  shrugged 
his  shoulders.  Mrs.  Kapua  laughed. 

"  All  right ;  I'm  reckless, — your  deal,  Commo- 
dore." 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  a  good  player.  So  was  Billy 
Barker ;  he  was  sure  of  himself  and  his  risky  makes 
were  bound  to  tell — either  one  way,  or  the  other. 
Cards  were  second  nature  to  the  Commodore,  play- 
ing every  night  at  sea,  as  he  told  us  he  did.  And 
the  Doctor  certainly  appeared  to  be  face  to  face 
with  his  only  passion.  There  was  an  intentness 


100  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

about  the  lines  of  his  mouth,  even  thus  early  in  the 
game. 

I  must  say,  I  didn't  care  much  for  the  Doctor. 
I  would  never  have  chosen  him  for  my  family  physi- 
cian. He  had  a  foreign  type  of  face.  He  might 
have  been  an  Italian,  although  he  was  not  very  dark. 
He  wasn't  bad  looking,  but  when  he  was  introduced 
to  me,  his  eyes  seemed  to  actually  slide  across  mine, 
and  as  they  slid,  it  struck  me  that  they  oughtn't 
to  be  blue  anyway.  But,  why  not?  Blue  eyes  were 
often  seen  with  black  hair.  In  the  Doctor's  case, 
it  seemed  as  if  his  hair  was  dyed,  or  his  eyes  were 
bleached.  He  reminded  me  of  a  Human  Exhibit 
who  had  been  used  as  an  advertisement  for  a  Beauty 
Parlor  and  as  if  it  would  require  some  time  for  him 
to  become  natural  again.  But  anyway,  shifting 
eyes  would  mar  even  an  Adonis  and  that  the  Doctor 
could  never  claim  to  be.  Of  course  he  had  not  had 
much  chance  to  talk,  still  it  was  quite  evident  that 
he  would  never  talk  a  patient  to  death.  He  had 
ventured  only  one  remark  and  that  was  to  start  a 
discussion  for  higher  stakes. 

"  Allow  me,"  said  the  Commodore,  leaning  over 
to  take  the  pack  from  Mrs.  Kapua,  as  she  was 
about  to  shuffle. 

She  laughed.  And  then  Mrs.  Kapua  proceeded 
to  show  the  Commodore  what  she  could  do  with 
her  inimitable  hands  and  wrists.  No  card-sharp, 
nor  sleight-of-hand  performer  could  manipulate  a 
pack  more  deftly  than  could  Mrs.  Kapua,  and  when 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  101 

she  ended  by  shuffling  the  cards  in  the  air  with  a 
graceful  dexterity,  the  Commodore  sank  on  one 
knee  and  humbly  apologized. 

And  as  he  arose,  I  noticed  that  he  and  the  Doc- 
tor, who  had  looked  impatient  during  this  interlude, 
exchanged  glances.  I  was  glad  that  the  Doctor 
could  meet  some  one's  eye;  perhaps  he  was  only 
bashful,  after  all. 

"  Luck's  against  me,  that's  sure,"  said  Billy 
Barker,  as  he  was  dealing. 

"  Go  and  sit  by  him ;  do  go,  Mrs.  Spotfield,  and 
see  if  his  luck  won't  change,"  suggested  Mrs. 
Chandler. 

Mrs.  Spotfield  promptly  took  her  place  by* 
Billy's  side;  so  promptly  that  when  he  said: 

"  Come  and  be  my  Mascot,"  it  sounded  quite  like 
an  anti-climax. 

I  couldn't  help  wondering  what  had  come  over 
the  spirit  of  Mrs.  Chandler's  dreams;  it  certainly 
was  not  her  usual  custom  to  throw  Mr.  Barker 
into  Mrs.  Spotfield's  path.  Did  she  consider  it 
her  duty  as  hostess  to  be  so  magnanimous  ? 

"  I'm  tired  watching,  and  I  believe  you  are," 
she  whispered  to  me,  after  a  little.  "We'll  just 
slip  off  and  have  a  talk." 

I  followed  her  to  the  other  end  of  the  deck  and 
we  went  below,  as  she  wanted  to  see  if  Yone,  her 
maid,  was  mending  her  skirt.  Mrs.  Chandler 
assured  me  she  would  be  a  treasure  on  land,  but 
there  were  so  many  beaux  for  her  on  the  yacht  that 


102  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

she   was    distracted,    and   was    quite   likely    to   be 
concentrating  all  the  gathers  in  one  spot. 

"  It's  the  gown  I  wore  on  the  California,"  added 
Mrs.  Chandler.  "  You  know,  I  really  went  to  Mrs. 
Kapua's  this  afternoon  to  ask  her  to  teach  me  the 
hula — she  certainly  did  say  Wednesday — and  then 
to  meet  the  Commodore  like  that,  when  I  particu- 
larly wanted  to  keep  it  a  secret  from  him !  I  want 
to  surprise  him,  so  don't  tell  a  soul,  will  you, 

ChMef  " 

I  began  to  wonder  if  all  husbands  had  to  be  fed 
on  surprises. 

"  The  Commodore  hates  to  have  me  do  anything 
conspicuous,  so  I'm  learning  it  just  for  him.  People 
are  so  ready  to  criticize  that  I  wouldn't  want  to 
give  them  the  chance.  My  friends  might  talk  aside, 
but  my  enemies  would  use  the  stage  aside,  which  is 
quite  as  loud  as  the  hula,  isn't  it  ?  " 

I  supposed  it  was. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  must  be  very  rich,"  added  Mrs. 
Chandler.  "  She  owns  about  half  the  Islands  and 
all  the  sugar,  doesn't  she?  " 

"  Not  that  bad,"  I  said  laughing.  "  You  know 
Mr.  Barker  has  some,  for  one." 

"  Yes,  I  know.  Did  his  wife  really  leave  him 
such  a  tremendous  fortune?  " 

"  Yes ;  she  really  did." 

"  And  Guy  Selby,  they  say,  has  money  outside 
his  pay;  is  that  so,  do  you  think?  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  103 

"  I  believe  it  is." 

"  The  reason  I  ask  is  that  he  often  comes  over 
on  the  yacht,  with  Mr.  Barker,  for  a  game,  and  of 
course,  if  he  were  poor,  I  wouldn't  want  the  stakes 
to  be  high,  you  see." 

I  thought  this  was  very  nice  of  Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  It  would  be  just  as  easy  to  get  some  one  who 
is  rich,  and  not  waste  Mr.  Selby's  time.  But  men 
are  so  thoughtless.  The  Commodore  is  worse  than 
a  child  about  money.  In  fact,  as  he  says,  he 
couldn't  run  a  yacht  if  money  did  not  slip  through 
his  fingers  mighty  easy.  And  the  Doctor,  having 
been  born  with  a  golden  spoon  in  his  mouth — the 
Chicago  Stirlings  and  New  York  Dwindles,  you 
know — does  not  realize  that  playing  for  dollars 
is  any  more  than  playing  for  beans.  He's  such  an 
idealist." 

I  must  have  looked  surprised,  for  she  added: 

"  He  really  does  live  in  the  clouds ;  he  studied 
to  be  a  doctor  and  graduated,  but  not  being  obliged 
to  stay  at  home  and  practise,  he's  able  to  travel 
with  us  as  the  physician  for  the  yacht.  I'm  telling 
you  all  this  to  show  you  why  I  am  the  only  one  on 
the  Gelda  with  any  idea  of  economy,  or  the  value 
of  money." 

We  had  reached  Mrs.  Chandler's  room  and  I 
gave  a  comprehensive  glance  from  her  gold  toilet 
articles,  to  the  exquisite  gown  Yone  was  mending, 
and  laughed. 


104  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Chandler  laughed,  too.  "  Well,  by  com- 
parison  "  she  said  deprecatingly.  "Aren't 

these  pretty?" 

She  had  opened  a  drawer  and  she  handed  me 
a  pair  of  pink  silk  garters,  with  the  most  fascinat- 
ing buckles.  Each  one  was  a  tiny  slipper,  made  of 
diamonds,  rubies,  and  sapphires,  with  a  string  of 
diamonds,  ending  in  little  jewelled  tassels,  as  though 
the  slippers  had  come  untied. 

Mrs.  Chandler  seemed  pleased  with  my  enthusi- 
asm and  confided  in  me  that  she  was  crazy  to  have 
them  made  into  a  pendant,  or  a  pin,  but  the  Com- 
modore wouldn't  let  her;  he  said  they  looked  too 
much  like  an  advertisement  for  a  shoe  store.  But, 
as  they  had  been  given  her  before  she  ever  met  him, 
there  was  no  excuse  for  such  flagrant  jealousy. 

Yone  was  just  putting  the  last  stitches  in  the 
gown  and  as  she  finished,  she  looked  up  with  the 
pleased  expression  of  a  good  child,  conscious  of  its 
own  merit. 

"  Pau,"  she  announced  with  calm  satisfaction. 

Pau  was  a  common  meeting  ground  between  all 
nationalities  in  Hawaii;  it  was  used  to  express  any 
and  every  degree  of  finish.  Yone  evidently  consid- 
ered her  sewing  for  the  day  completed,  and  she 
waited  expectantly.  Mrs.  Chandler  was  examining 
her  gown,  so  she  didn't  notice  Yone,  as  she  stood 
patiently,  outlined  against  the  portiere  like  a  big 
doll  in  a  show  window.  Her  shining  black  hair  was 
ornamented  with  shell  combs,  and  a  bright  pink  arti- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  105 

ficial  rose,  fastened  in  front,  vied  in  color  with 
her  round,  frankly  rouged  cheeks  and  painted  lips. 

"  Me  go,"  she  suggested  gently. 

And  when  Mrs.  Chandler  nodded  assent,  she 
trotted  off  as  fast  as  her  tight  kimono  and  gorgeous 
brocade  obi,  that  almost  overpowered  her  with  its 
size,  would  let  her. 

"They're  all  the  same,"  said  Mrs.  Chandler, 
with  a  sigh.  "  Valerie,  my  last  French  maid,  was  a 
belle,  too.  But  at  least  the  Japanese  maids  are 
safe;  they  can't  gossip." 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Chandler,"  I  cried,  "  you've  no  idea 
how  they  talk!  They're  so  curious,  and  they  are 

inveterate  chatter-boxes ;  if  you  let  them  they'll  tell 
you " 

Mrs.  Chandler  turned  quickly.  "  But,  they 
don't  half  understand, — they  can't  tell  what  they 

don't  know;  they "  She  paused  and  laughed 

lightly.  "  Well,  they  are  interesting  as  types  any- 
way; and  Yone,  at  least,  can  sew.  It's  really 
neater  than  it  was  originally.  The  French  go  in 
for  results  only ;  their  sewing  is  atrocious." 

"But  oh,  the  result!" 

"  You  need  it  in  New  York."  Mrs.  Chandler 
spoke  feelingly.  "  There's  so  much  competition 
there.  Of  course  it  makes  it  worth  while,  but 
really  you  have  to  lie  awake  nights,  if  you  want  to 
make  a  hit.  You  can't  just  dress  there;  you  have 
to  produce  an  effect,  or  else  you  would  never  be 
noticed," 


106  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  sitting  on  her  bed,  swinging 
her  pretty  feet.  I  had  never  seen  a  woman  with 
such  a  variety  of  unusual,  and  fascinating  slippers. 
To-day  they  were  an  odd  combination  of  white 
canvas  and  kid,  cut  low  to  show  the  instep,  with 
crossed  straps  that  extended  as  high  as  boots,  and 
the  little  pink  roses,  embroidered  on  her  white  silk 
stockings,  showed  in  each  opening. 

"  I  used  to  wish  sometimes  that  I  was  a  type," 
continued  Mrs.  Chandler,  "  and  then  I  could  have 
worked  up  to  some  peculiarity  of  style.  But,  when 
you  are  only  plain  American,  competing  with  a 
crowd,  as  like  as  pease  in  a  pod,  except  for  being 
fair,  or  dark " 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  was  a  sensation  in  New  York," 
I  hastened  to  say.  "  Whenever  she  went  into  a 
restaurant,  every  one  turned  and  looked  at  her. 
They  thought  she  was  a  Spanish  beauty,  until  the 
newspapers  wrote  her  up  as  a  Hawaiian  Princess." 
I  found  myself  feeling  quite  pleased,  and  excited, 
to  think  that  the  Islands  could  compete. 

"  She  must  have  looked  stunning  there — so  un- 
usual 1  Well,  we  can't  all  be  types ;  we  have  to 
arrive  by  different  roads.  I  used  to  go  driving  every 
afternoon  with  an  intimate  friend  of  mine.  Her 
first  name  was  Topaz — so  effective,  isn't  it?  She 
was  a  beauty,  a  brunette.  Prince  '  Roily  '  of  Ba- 
varia, used  to  be  perfectly  devoted  to  her,  until  he 
met  some  Italian  dancer  with  a  temperament. 
Topaz  was  statuesque.  We  were  the  greatest 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  107 

friends,  but  her  chum  called  her  '  The  Foil,'  one  day, 
because  somehow  I  looked  so  fair  beside  her.  And 
as  '  The  Foil,'  she  got  to  be  known.  Awfully  com- 
plimentary to  me  of  course ;  it  gave  me  the  Star  part 
and  centre  of  the  stage,  so  to  speak.  That  was  the 
end  of  our  intimacy,  naturally.  Voila,  ma  chere." 

Mrs.  Chandler  shrugged  her  shoulders  and  went 
over  to  the  mirror  to  fluff  up  her  bronze  hair, 
which  gave  me  a  chance  to  try  and  point  a  moral. 
Of  course  I  pointed  it  to  myself  and,  if  there  was 
any,  I  decided  it  lay  between  the  test  of  friendship 
and  the  road  to  success.  No  one  would  ever  have 
suspected  Prince  Roily,  whoever  he  might  be,  in 
that  connection. 

"  Help  yourself  to  anything  you  want, — pow- 
der, hair-pins " 

"  May  I  just  smell  this?  "  I  asked,  taking  the 
glass  stopper  out  of  a  big  bottle  of  greenish-hued 
perfume.  "  Oh,  isn't  it  delicious !  I've  often  envied 
you  the  perfume  you  use." 

I  turned  the  bottle;  the  label  was  torn  off,  just 
a  piece  remaining  to  show  that  it  had  been  there. 
And  I  concluded  that  Mrs.  Chandler  was  wise  to 
keep  such  a  sweet  scent  for  her  own  individual  use. 
Whatever  its  name,  I  was  sure  that  it  had  never 
come  to  Honolulu  before. 

"  Shall  we  go  up  on  deck?  "  Mrs.  Chandler  pro- 
posed. "  I  really  think  we'd  better  rescue  Mrs. 
Spotfield." 

When  we  got  near  enough  to  the  players,  I 


,108  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

thought  it  certainly  was  time  to  rescue  Mrs.  Spot- 
field,  for  it  was  plain  that  there  was  murder  in 
the  heart  of  Mr.  William  Barker.  He  was  losing, 
and  had  been  losing.  His  lips  were  one  straight 
line;  and  Mrs.  Spotfield  was  prattling  gaily  in  his 
ear  and  reminding  him  that  she  was  his  Mascot. 

Mrs.  Chandler  had  guessed  the  situation  with 
surprising  accuracy. 

My,  but  cards  are  revealing!  They  certainly 
teach  the  game  in  the  truest,  if  the  most  slangy, 
sense  of  the  term. 

Mrs.  Kapua's  beauty  was  marred  only  by  her 
mouth  which,  in  repose,  suggested  a  quality  almost 
rapacious.  It  gave  a  hint  now  of  an  aroused  pas- 
sion— not  greed  of  money,  so  much  as  a  desire  to 
win. 

But  the  Commodore  was  defeating  her  ruth- 
lessly, and  enjoying  it  openly.  His  gallantry  had 
not  stood  the  test ;  he  could  not  forget  the  game  for 
the  woman ;  he  too  had  the  card  player's  eager  desire 
to  win  and  his  mastery  of  the  game  was  all  that 
occupied  his  mind.  The  money  was  nothing  to 
him  and  his  disregard  of  it  was  apparent;  he 
scarcely  heard  the  surmises  as  to  whether  he  was 
ahead  a  couple  of  hundred  dollars;  of  course  they 
were  no  more  to  him  than  a  couple  of  hundred  cents. 

The  Doctor  might  be  as  wealthy  a  man,  but  I 
could  believe  that  he  took  a  keen  interest  in  the 
amount  at  stake.  He  suggested  a  terrier  that  had 
just  shaken  a  mouse  to  death.  He  had  held  the 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  109 

best  cards  in  the  last  three  hands  and  he  had 
enjoyed  his  power  none  the  less  because  of  the  cer- 
tain defeat  of  an  opponent  weaker  than  himself. 

Billy  Barker  looked  an  Irish  policeman  about  to 
arrest  an  English  suffragette.  All  this  was  in  his 
upper  lip. 

"  Well,  by  Jove,"  said  the  Commodore,  at  last, 
"  I'll  be  embarrassed  if  this  keeps  on !  " 

He  reminded  me  of  a  matinee  idol,  conscious  of 
his  success,  yet  trying  to  be  modest  in  the  face  of 
applause.  I  had  never  seen  the  Commodore  embar- 
rassed, but  of  course  he  didn't  like  to  have  his 
guests  leave  so  large  a  sum  of  money  on  the  yacht. 
I  could  understand  that. 

"  Just  one  more  rubber  eh  and  then  I'm  pau." 

Mrs.  Kapua's  voice  was  as  sweet  and  full  of 
music  as  usual,  but  part  of  her  lazy  charm  was  gone. 
I  watched  her,  as  she  played,  and  I  made  up  my 
mind  that  I  would  never  be  a  rival  of  Mrs.  Kapua. 
She  liked  the  Commodore,  she  admired  his  bold, 
breezy  manner,  she  thought  him  handsome,  his  fine 
physique  appealed  to  her,  and  she  loved  a  sailor. 

But,  Mrs.  Kapua  is  used  to  a  complete  subju- 
gation. To  rule  absolutely  is  her  inheritance.  She 
is  always  personal,  and  perhaps  the  Commodore  had 
never  been  as  impersonal  with  her  before.  She  is 
inconsequent;  maybe  she  thought  he  should  throw 
away  his  hand  in  her  favor,  or  at  least  pretend  to 
be  unhappy  over  his  success.  One  thing  was  sure ; 
the  Commodore  would  have  to  make  amends. 


110  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

She  rose  and  smoothed  down  her  gown.  Billy 
Barker  pushed  back  his  chair  and  forgot  his 
troubles.  He  looked  at  Mrs.  Chandler  and  returned 
her  smile.  The  Doctor  was  counting  the  score. 

Yone  toddled  along  the  deck,  a  festive  bit  of 
Japan,  as  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  lit  up  her 
gay  coloring. 

"  Me  find  paper,"  she  said  to  the  Commodore. 
And  she  looked  at  him  with  her  child-like,  pleased 
smile.  She  handed  him  an  open  sheet  of  foolscap. 

Mrs.  Chandler  glanced  over  at  her  maid  with 
much  the  same  expression  as  that  of  the  mother  of 
an  enfant  terrible.  She  left  Mr.  Barker  in  the 
middle  of  a  sentence. 

The  Commodore  looked  simply  furious.  He 
towered  over  little  Yone  and  I  thought  he  was  going 
to  strike  her. 

"  Damn  little  Japanese  fool !  "  he  muttered  to 
Mrs.  Chandler.  "  I  wish  you'd  discharge  her." 

"  Oh,  aren't  you  ungrateful !  "  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Chandler.  "  You  didn't  see  that  these  are  the  Tif- 
fany designs  you  lost!  And  that  good  Yone  has 
found  them  for  you."  She  put  her  hand  on  her 
husband's  arm. 

The  Commodore  turned  to  me  and  said  savagely : 
"  I  can't  stand  that  make-up." 

After  a  few  moments,  the  Doctor  came  forward 
with  the  score. 

"  I've  counted  it  three  times,"  he  said.  "  Any 
one  want  to  look  it  over  ?  " 


;RED  OVER  LITTLE  YONE  AND  i  THOUGHT  HE  WAS  GOING  TO 

STRIKE  HER 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  111 

His  eyes  glanced  like  a  billiard  ball  in  response 
to  the  brilliant  stroke  of  a  practised  hand.  They 
hit  all  points  and  finally  the  paper  in  the  Commo- 
dore's hand.  He  came  a  step  nearer  and  looked  at 
it  with  frowning  intensity. 

"  I've  been  hunting  for  that,"  the  Doctor  held 
out  his  hand.  "  It's  mine." 

As  the  Commodore  didn't  make  a  motion  to  give 
it  to  him,  he  added  grimly :  "  And  they're  the  safest 
germs  we  have ;  they're  only  on  paper." 

The  Commodore  handed  the  sheet  to  me :  "  Mi- 
crobes, or  jewels?  "  he  questioned  with  a  laugh. 

I  looked  at  the  drawings,  while  the  others  were 
settling  the  score.  All  the  indefinite  marks  and 
wriggles  seemed  to  converge  at  last  into  stars ;  small 
stars  and  big  ones,  all  sizes  and  shapes.  It  looked 
like  a  study  in  astronomy  to  me. 

"  I'll  send  you  my  check,  Commodore,"  said 
Mrs.  Kapua. 

"  Mrs.  Chandler,  little  rascal,  takes  all  my 
winnings  and  makes  me  pay  her  half  my  losses 
besides."  The  Commodore's  voice  and  smile  were 
fondly  indulgent.  "  Oh,  I'm  a  hen-pecked  husband, 
I  must  admit." 

Mrs.  Chandler  laughed.  "  On  the  whole,  I 
make  more  when  you  lose." 

The  Commodore  made  a  playfully  threatening 
gesture  towards  her,  and  she  dodged. 

"  Well,  I'm  out  of  luck,  so  single  blessedness  for 
me!"  cried  Billy  Barker. 


112  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"If  we  could  have  played  a  while  longer  eh, 
I'd  have  come  out  ahead  of  you,  Commodore,"  mur- 
mured Mrs.  Kapua. 

He  turned  to  her  and  said  something  in  an 
undertone.  And  Mrs.  Kapua  showed  her  beautiful 
teeth  in  a  half  smile. 

I  leaned  over  the  side  of  the  yacht  to  catch  the 
breeze  that  blew  cool,  and  refreshing,  over  the  moun- 
tains and  across  the  Gelda's  deck.  The  launch, 
awaiting  us,  was  bobbing  up  and  down  on  the  waves. 
The  sky  was  gorgeous  with  the  flaming  tints  of 
sunset.  The  sun,  a  huge,  red  ball  lying  low  in  the 
Heavens,  lit  up  the  California,  near-by,  shone  on 
the  ships  about  the  Harbor,  sparkled  softly  on  the 
waters,  bathing  Honolulu,  her  hills  and  her  valleys, 
the  cocoanut  trees  along  the  shores  and  the  house 
tops  farther  in,  with  the  rosy  glow  that  comes  before 
the  twilight. 

And  I  thought  of  Frank.  How  soon  would  he  be 
sailing  on  these  same  dancing  waters ;  he  ought  to 
be  starting  now. 

The  Commodore  and  Mrs.  Chandler  hospitably 
invited  us  all  to  dine,  but  no  one  could  stay. 
And  we  reached  the  dock  just  as  the  short  twilight 
faded  into  night. 


IX. 

MRS.  THORNTON  said  I  was  an  angel  of  mercy, 
but  I  realized  that  I  had  been  too  conscientious, 
and  I  think  that  was  why  I  did  not  beam  at  the  com- 
pliment. But  what  could  I  do?  It  is  our  boast  in 
Hawaii  that  we  live  as  one  big  family,  always  ready 
to  share  our  joys  and  sorrows,  and  when  Mrs. 
Thornton  telephoned  me  that  she  had  a  dinner  on 
hand  for  the  author  Hugo  Basilton,  that  her  cook 
had  walked  off  without  warning,  and  that  there  were 
fourteen  people  bidden  to  eat  at  half-past  seven 
that  evening,  and  she  couldn't,  or  wouldn't,  put 
them  off,  and  oh,  she  was  in  such  pilikia  (trouble) 
and  if  she  had  it  to  do  over  again  she  would  make 
it  a  breakfast,  any  way,  and  would  I  come  and 
help  her,  I  naturally  replied  that  I  would. 

When  I  arrived  at  Mrs.  Thornton's  house,  I 
heard  her  anguished  explanation  of  a  situation  that 
might  at  least  be  termed  trying. 

"  Mura,  my  cook,  asked  me  almost  every  time  I 
entered  the  kitchen  who  my  guests  were  to  be.  At 
first  I  paid  no  attention,  but  then  I  began  to  wonder 
why  he  wanted  to  know.  When  I  questioned  him, 
he  said  something  about  number  one  dinner,  number 
two  dinner,  and  number  three  dinner,  and  I  found, 
to  my  horror,  that  he  had  grades.  Now,  just  imag- 
ine !  His  number  one  dinner  was  in  honor  of  any 
government  representatives,  number  two  for  any 
8  113 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

one  in  the  merchant  class,  and  number  three — for 
the  missionaries!  Do  you  blame  me  for  losing  my 
temper?  With  the  Stowes  and  the  Elkins  invited, 
I  knew  we  were  in  for  a  number  three  dinner.  I 
gave  Mura  a  piece  of  my  mind,  and  he  politely  took 
his  leave." 

Poor  Mrs.  Thornton  was  almost  ready  to  cry. 
She  brightened  up,  however,  when  I  suggested  call- 
ing in  Mrs.  Probyn,  a  lady  in  reduced  circumstances, 
who  had  turned  a  taste  for  culinary  art  into  a 
means  of  livelihood. 

"  Mrs.  Probyn  can  bring  a  salad  and  curry," 
I  said  cheerfully ;  "  that  disposes  of  two  courses, 
and  then  you  can  buy  ice-cream,  and  have  canned 
soup,  and " 

But  Mrs.  Thornton  had  already  ordered  her 
carriage. 

"  We  will  bring  her  back  with  us,"  she  said. 
"  Everything  is  comparatively  plain  sailing  now. 
I  never  would  have  thought  of  Mrs.  Probyn ;  she  is 
so  new,  and  Honolulu  never  had  a  caterer  before; 
it  is  hard  to  get  used  to  such  bliss.  I  would  have 
given  the  dinner  up  when  Mura  basely  deserted, 
but  one  does  not  get  a  chance  to  entertain  a  Hugo 
Basilton  every  day,  you  know.  Have  you  read  his 
last  book?  It  has  made  a  tremendous  hit.  But 
really  at  times  I  think  I'll  never  entertain  again; 
it  is  such  a  struggle.  And  does  Mrs.  Probyn  make 
good  curry?  Curry  is  such  a  stylish  dish  for 
strangers.  It  is  a  revelation  too.  When  they  go 
home  they  are  never  satisfied  again  with  a  dash  of 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  115 

curry  powder  shaken  in  raw.  Oh,  is  that  you,  Ah 
Lung?  What  you  want?  Cream?  All  right,  I 
bring  by'n'by." 

We  got  into  the  carriage  and  drove  off.  Mrs. 
Thornton's  eyes  were  shining  and  she  was  all  ani- 
mation. 

Mrs.  Probyn  was  standing  at  her  gate  as  we 
stopped,  and  after  entering  into  a  voluble  explana- 
tion, Mrs.  Thornton  added: 

"  I  have  only  my  yard  boy  in  the  kitchen ;  he 
says  he  can  cook;  he's  so  ambitious,  but  ambition 
doesn't  insure  success,  does  it,  Mrs.  Probyn?  " 

In  Mrs.  Probyn's  face  was  the  light  of  a  stead- 
fast resolve. 

"  I  am  going  on  a  picnic  this  morning,  to  be 
gone  all  day,  Mrs.  Thornton,"  she  said,  and  her 
voice  held  a  pleased  note  of  anticipation.  "  I  am 
sorry  I  can't  help  you.  Oh,  please  don't  mention 
money!  I  know  you  would  be  willing  to  pay  me 
double,  but  I  gave  up  a  picnic  last  week  to  oblige 
Mrs.  Fenwick,  who  wanted  me  to  make  sandwiches 
for  a  tea,  and  I  have  regretted  it  ever  since.  So 
I  am  sure  you  will  understand  that  it  is  quite  im- 
possible. Some  other  time  I  will  be  glad  to  help 
you  out,  if  I  am  not  invited  anywhere.  But  let  me 
suggest  a  good  cook  who  might  be  willing  to  go  to 
you.  His  name  is  Kiomoto,  and  you  will  find  him 
at  the  Japanese  church.  I  can  recommend  him,  I 
assure  you.  Good  morning."  And  Mrs.  Probyn 
cordially  bowed  and  disappeared. 

We  turned  and  drove  down  the  street. 


116  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  And  she  is  doing  this  to  pay  off  the  mortgage 
on  her  house,  and  to  hold  on  to  three  hundred  shares 
of  assessable  sugar  stock !  "  Mrs.  Thornton  mut- 
tered further  and  pointed  remarks ;  they  didn't  point 
skyward;  Mrs.  Probyn  never  could  have  reached 
heaven  on  them. 

"  Well,  we  will  secure  the  Jap,  any  way,"  I  said 
soothingly,  and  a  moment  later  Kiomoto  was  bowing 
and  scraping  before  us,  with  indrawn  breaths  hiss- 
ing, a  la  Japanese,  in  proportion  to  an  excess  of 
civility. 

"  Yes,  no  can  come ;  very  sorry,  no  can,"  he  said 
between  his  bows  and  breaths.  "  To-night  six  Chris- 
tian gentlemen  come  dinner.  Very  sorry." 

Expostulations  and  bribes  followed  from  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

"  Yes,  no  can,"  reiterated  Kiomoto.  "  You 
please  excuse;  very  sorry.  To-night  come  six; 
Christian  gentlemen." 

"  I'm  something  of  a  Christian  myself,"  asserted 
Mrs.  Thornton,  with  heroic  hope. 

I  recalled  her  late  pointed  remarks  about  Mrs. 
Probyn,  and  reflected  that  the  six  Christian  gentle- 
men could  not  need  a  good  cook  as  did  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

But  Kiomoto's  firmness  was  equalled  only  by 
his  suavity  of  manner.  We  left  him  bowing,  scrap- 
ing, hissing,  and  satisfied. 

The  situation  was  hopeless;  there  was  nothing 
left  but  to  go  home  and  cook.  In  the  cheerfulness 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  117 

of  ignorance,  and  the  comfort  of  a  cooling  breeze 
created  by  rapid  driving,  I  offered  to  do  the  cook- 
ing. And  Mrs.  Thornton  seemed  grateful,  if  not 
confident. 

"  We  will  stop  -for  some  bonbons  and  have  them 
at  least,"  she  said. 

As  we  reached  the  candy  store  we  met  Commo- 
dore Chandler,  immaculate  in  white  duck.  He  was 
very  handsome  in  his  bold,  devil-may-care  style.  He 
raised  his  hat  and  greeted  us  cordially,  and  I 
thought,  as  he  stood  there,  that  his  photograph 
taken  just  then  would  certainly  do  for  a  dashing 
buccaneer. 

"  We  are  looking  forward  to  this  evening  with 
so  much  pleasure,  Mrs.  Thornton,"  he  said  politely. 

And  Mrs.  Thornton  refrained  from  telling  him 
that  she  did  not  dare  look  forward. 

While  we  were  waiting  for  the  candy  to  be  put 
up  I  went  behind  the  counter  to  look  at  some  fancy 
boxes  that  attracted  me  with  their  gay  coloring. 
One  of  them  had  an  envelope  fastened  to  it 
addressed :  "  Mrs.  Kapua." 

I  couldn't  help  wondering  if  the  Commodore  was 
responsible  for  the  generous  five  pounds,  or  more, 
that  it  must  have  contained. 

"  We  will  just  get  the  cream  and  hurry  home," 
said  Mrs.  Thornton  as  we  got  in  the  carriage  again. 

"  All  out  of  cream,  Mrs.  Thornton,"  said  the 
clerk  cheerily.  "  You  won't  find  any  in  town  to-day. 
I've  sent  around  to  try." 


118  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

We  drove  home  in  silence,  and  got  into  holokus. 
I  remembered  that  Mrs.  Thornton  had  often  de- 
clared— to  the  exasperation  of  those  of  us  less  con- 
scientious— that  she  never  wore  a  holoku  outside  of 
her  bedroom.  She  explained  that  since  the  tourist 
would  insist  upon  calling  our  graceful  gown  a 
Mother  Hubbard,  just  because  he  could  pronounce 
it,  that  settled  it  for  her.  It  was  not  fair  that  we 
should  have  a  clumsy  Mother  Hubbard  reputation 
spread  abroad.  Mrs.  Thornton  had  made  up  her 
mind  that  she  would  rather  be  off  the  map  en- 
tirely. 

And  the  rest  of  us  had  admired  her  abnegation, 
while  continuing  to  be  comfortable.  She  evidently 
intended  now  to  make  the  occasion  fit  the  crime. 

"  I'm  going  to  have  cucumber  salad  with  the 
fish,"  she  announced. 

"  I'll  dress  it,"  I  rejoined,  and  I  went  for  the  oil. 

The  yard-boy  cook  explained  that  the  oil  was 
pau. 

"Pan!"  cried  Mrs.  Thornton.  "Why,  this 
morning  one  new  bottle  come !  " 

"  All  pau;  lady  next  door  come  get." 

"  It's  Mrs.  Fen  wick ;  she  always  forgets  half  her 
market  list;  she  says  I  am  such  a  desirable  neigh- 
bor," said  Mrs.  Thornton,  and  her  resignation  was 
almost  pathetic. 

"  I'll  dress  it  without  oil,"  I  proposed,  with  con- 
siderable temerity. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  119 

"  Bring  cucumbers,"  Mrs.  Thornton  ordered 
in  a  subdued  tone. 

And  the  yard-boy  cook  brought  them. 

"What  on  earth "  began  Mrs.  Thornton; 

her  eyes  were  like  saucers.  She  fell  into  a  chair  in 
an  attitude  that  suggested  the  third  act  in  a  comedy- 
drama. 

In  fact,  the  yard-boy  cook,  with  a  contempt  for 
seeds  as  an  article  of  diet,  had  scooped  out  the  in- 
side of  the  cucumbers,  and,  upon  further  frenzied 
inquiry,  we  learned  that  he  had  thrown  away  the 
salad-to-be,  and  preserved  the  rinds  alone. 

It  was  discouraging,  beyond  a  doubt.  We  went 
into  the  lanai  to  cool  off  and  write  down  the  menu, 
even  if  it  might  not  materialize.  The  wisdom  of 
never  putting  anything  down  in  black  and  white 
is  questionable.  We  found  it  distinctly  soothing; 
everything  looked  so  well. 

"  Thank  goodness  Mura  did  the  sweetbreads 
yesterday,"  murmured  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  They 
may  curdle  when  they  are  warmed  up,  but  at  least 
they  are  done." 

"  Put  in  a  lot  of  truffles,  and  they  won't  notice 
trifles,"  I  said,  with  a  laudable  effort  to  be  facetious 

Mrs.  Thornton  cheered  up  at  the  idea  of  truffles, 
and  rushed  in  to  open  a  can. 

I  did  not  have  the  heart  to  tell  her  that  there  is 
everything  in  a  name  when  it  comes  to  truffles;  it 
would  never  do  to  call  them  leather. 

f<  They're  in !  "  she  said  coming  back.     "  It's 


120  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

wonderful  what  a  touch  of  black  will  do;  the  effect 
is  as  chic  in  cooking  as  it  is  in  one's  gowns !  " 

"  Number  one :  Soup  a  la  American,"  I  read. 
"  Number  two :  Fish  a  la  mayonnaise.  Number 
three:  Sweetbreads  a  la " 

"  So  far,  so  good,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton,  looking 
over  my  shoulder ;  "  but  that's  all  the  far,  and  I 
am  not  so  sure  of  the  good.  Number  four:  Frozen 
fruit  punch — you  and  I  can  do  that.  But  the  fillet 
and  curry  and  salad !  " 

We  sat  in  gloomy  silence.  In  fact,  so  lost  in 
thought  was  I  that  it  startled  me  when  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton jumped  to  her  feet  with  a  gasp,  and  rushed 
across  the  lawn  after  a  Japanese  carrying  an  appa- 
rently innocent  bucket.  Mrs.  Thornton  literally 
fell  on  his  neck  by  a  magnolia  tree  near  the  fence, 
and  wrested  the  bucket  from  him. 

"  It  was  Mrs.  Almys  borrowing  my  ice-cream 
freezer,"  she  explained  pantingly,  as  she  mounted 
the  steps  of  the  lanai. 

"  What  friendly  neighbors  you  have ! "  I 
remarked. 

"  One  has  to  be  friendly  when  there  are  no  cor- 
ner groceries,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton,  with  more  phil- 
osophy than  content.  "  Talking  of  friends,  I  have 
an  idea !  "  she  added.  "  I'll  telephone  and  ask  Mrs. 
Fen  wick  to  make  my  salad ;  it's  the  least  she  can  do 
to  be  neighborly;  besides,  she  has  the  oil,  and  she 
can  just  lend  me  something  to  put  under  a  mayon- 
naise. Mrs.  Almys,  my  left-hand  neighbor,  has  a 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  121 

good  cook,  and  I'll  ask  her  to  roast  my  fillet.  And 
Mrs.  Dean,  who  lives  across  the  way,  is  noted  for  her 
curry." 

She  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief  and  went  to  the  tele- 
phone. 

In  fifteen  minutes  it  was  all  arranged,  and  we 
went  into  the  pantry  to  make  the  fruit  punch.  Mrs. 
Thornton  emptied  in  liqueurs  and  liquors  reck- 
lessly, lavishly,  and,  as  she  explained,  economically, 
because  it  happened  that  Ah  Lung  was  inclined  to 
drink,  and  a  bottle  once  uncorked  was  sure  to  go 
any  way.  Then  we  went  into  the  dining-room  to 
arrange  some  gorgeous  crimson  poinciana. 

We  decorated  the  table,  salted  some  almonds, 
got  out  the  best  china,  and  tried  to  cool  off,  in 
between. 

It  began  to  look  as  if  Mrs.  Thornton's  troubles 
were  gradually  fading  away,  when  a  message  to  the 
effect  that  Miss  Stowe  was  ill,  obliged  to  be  absent, 
etc.,  etc.,  started  a  share  of  trouble  in  my  direction. 
Thirteen  at  table  was  not  to  be  considered,  of  course. 

And  I  went  home  to  put  on  a  dinner-gown  and 
a  pleasant  smile. 

I  was  so  tired  that  the  smile  was  fixed,  and  I 
suppose  Mrs.  Thornton  thought  I  was  unsympa- 
thetic when  she  took  me  into  her  room  and  told 
me  that,  through  a  harrowing  mistake,  she  had 
slaved  and  suffered  in  vain  over  her  dinner,  for  the 
celebrated  Hugo  Basilton  was  in  California,  and  the 
Basilton  in  Honolulu  was  an  obscure  nephew  from 


122'  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Timbuctoo,  or  some  other  place  that  Mrs.  Thornton 
never  touched  in  her  travels. 

"  I  had  heard  from  San  Francisco  that  Hugo 
Basilton  was  there,"  groaned  Mrs.  Thornton,  "  and 
when  I  saw  *  Basilton  '  on  the  passenger  list  I  wrote 
a  note  to  his  cousin,  Mrs.  Dalton,  and  asked  if  she 
and  Mr.  Dalton  and  Mr.  Basilton  would  dine  with 
me.  They  accepted  promptly,  and  I  never  knew 
the  truth  until  a  few  moments  ago,  when  I  saw  this 
beardless  baby  blushing  through  his  introduction. 
I  never  liked  Mrs.  Dalton  anyway,  and  she  is  more 
— more  so — than  ever  to-night;  she  has  on  a  light 
pink  waist  with  a  black  skirt.  And  just  think  how 
we  worked  all  day  for  this!  I  don't  see  how  you 
can  smile." 

I  didn't  explain,  but  I  felt  that  I  had  missed 
my  vocation ;  I  should  have  been  a  ballet  dancer ; 
my  legs  might  have  been  weak  but  my  smile  would 
have  compensated. 

The  dinner  went  off  beautifully,  except  perhaps 
in  spots.  It  was  really  wonderful  how  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton kept  her  self-possession  when  Commodore 
Chandler's  soup  effervesced.  He  sat  between  Mrs. 
Thornton  and  me  and  he  was  dashing  salt  into  his 
soup  recklessly,  when  it  bubbled  up  in  a  manner  to 
discompose  any  ordinary  housekeeper.  Of  course  I 
realized,  at  once,  that  the  bottle  of  table  salt  and 
the  fruit  salts,  for  cooling  the  blood,  must  have  got 
mixed.  We  all  bottle  our  salt  and  our  gloves  at  the 
Beach, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

I  glanced  at  Mrs.  Thornton.  Her  expression 
was  tranquil,  but  I  know  she  did  not  feel  really 
easy  until  the  salt  went  off  and  dessert  came  on. 

The  most  successful  dishes,  I  must  say,  were  the 
fillet,  curry,  and  salad.  Neighbors  are  a  blessing, 
after  all,  though  sometimes  in  disguise. 

"  Hugo  Basilton  is  going  to  Japan  on  the  next 
through  steamer  and  he  is  going  to  stop  over." 
Mrs.  Thornton  said  to  me,  "  I'll  have  a  breakfast 
for  him.  A  week  from  Sunday,  at  one;  will  you 
come  ?  And  will  you,  Frank  ?  " 

Frank  had  dropped  in  after  dinner,  with  two 
or  three  other  men.  He  accepted,  and  I  still  smiled, 
as  I  answered :  "  Yes." 

Ah  Lung  approached  his  mistress  with  his  soft- 
footed  tread  and  whispered  something  to  her. 

Her  face  fell  and  she  turned  to  us.  "  Goodness ! 
I  told  Suki  to  hire  some  geisha  girls,  and  I  forgot 
all  about  them.  Isn't  this  a  waste?  I  wish  that 
inexperienced  Basilton  infant  would  elope  with  one 
of  them ;  he's  too  young  to  go  home  by  himself." 

But  at  least  while  the  geishas  went  through  their 
series  of  posturings,  I  could  relax.  The  lanai  was 
a  delight  to  the  eye  with  its  softly  shaded  lanterns 
and  tall  palms  waving  lightly  in  the  breezes  that 
blew  over  the  big  magnolia  tree,  and  reached  us 
in  desultory  whiffs  of  delicious  fragrance. 

One  of  the  geishas  played  the  samisen  and  sang, 
while  the  other  two  gave  their  pantomine  illustra- 
tion of  the  story,  keeping  perfect  time  to  the  simple 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

notes.  Their  kimonos  were  of  steel  gray  silk  and 
their  handsome  obis  were  of  exquisitely  blended  hues. 
Their  fluttering  kimono  sleeves  and  quivering  fans, 
illustrating  the  fluttering  of  a  butterfly,  was  fol- 
lowed by  other  portrayals  in  turn,  the  rippling  of 
the  waves,  the  flight  of  birds,  the  mist  on  the  moun- 
tains, the  snow,  the  moon,  favorite  and  familiar 
subjects  of  the  Japanese  muse. 

All  went  well  until  the  Commodore  began  to 
grow  enthusiastic.  Of  course  it  enlivened  things 
a  bit,  but  it  did  not  suit  the  unemotional  dance,  nor 
my  happily  restful  state. 

"  Can't  you  just  see  the  falling  leaves  of 
autumn !  "  he  cried. 

I  could  not.  But  the  others  recognized  them; 
or  else  their  manners  were  better  than  mine. 

The  Commodore  sprang  to  his  feet.  "  Brava, 
bravissima !  "  he  cried, — for  all  the  world  like  a 
box-holder  at  the  Opera,  "  Mrs.  Thornton,  this  is 
delightful; — it  carries  me  straight  back  to  Japan. 
Now  this, — this  is  the  swaying  of  the  pine  trees. 
Oh,  we  simply  must  keep  them  going !  " 

He  took  from  his  pocket  a  greenback,  and 
smoothing  it  out,  he  began  to  wrap  it  around  a  coin. 

"  Oh,  Commodore !  "  cried  Mrs.  Thornton,  lay- 
ing a  restraining  hand  on  his  arm.  "  Really  that 
is  too  much, — now  please " 

Mrs.  Dalton  grew  quite  excited  and  the  youthful 
Basilton's  eyes  were  round  with  wonder  and  awe. 

The  Commodore  laughed,  but  after  a  few  words 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

with  Mrs.  Thornton,  he  returned  the  bill,  at  last, 
to  his  pocket. 

"  Don't  you  think  it's  about  time  he  got  that 
hundred  dollars  changed  into  fives ;  he'd  get  rid  of  it 
easier,"  whispered  Frank  in  my  ear. 

When  the  geishas  departed,  I  saw  no  reason  why 
I  should  stay  any  longer;  the  evening  was  really 
over,  but  Commodore  and  Mrs.  Chandler  showed  no 
intention  of  leaving,  and  young  Basilton  had  not 
eloped.  So  I  told  Mrs.  Thornton  I  would  slip  off 
without  saying  goodnight. 

"  I'm  getting  tired  of  this,"  said  Frank,  on 
the  way  home. 

"  Society  is  strenuous,"  I  observed. 

"  I  don't  mean  that,  but  the  outlook  grows 
worse.  There's  no  chance  of  sugar  going  up  this 
year.  It's  all  very  well  for  the  Thorntons,  and  Mrs. 
Kapua,  and  the  rest,  to  groan  and  talk  of  their  in- 
comes being  cut  in  half;  what's  the  difference  when 
they  can  live  in  affluence  on  the  other  half.  Mrs. 
Thornton  could  splurge  for  a  couple  of  years  on  the 
worth  of  her  diamond  sunburst  alone.  Billy  Barker 
has  lost  two  or  three  little  fortunes  at  cards  lately, 
but  he  will  probably  more  than  make  up  his  losses 
in  the  stocks  the  Commodore  has  let  him  in  on; 
some  mining  stock  in  which  he  holds  the  controlling 
interest.  He's  taken  a  fancy  to  Billy  and  let  him 
in  on  the  ground  floor,  although  he  said  he  had 
promised  friends  in  London  all  he  could  spare,  with- 
out surrendering  the  control.  But  anyway,  Billy 


126  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

would  never  miss  the  money  that's  gone  in 
gambling." 

"  Oh,  when  we  are  rich,  here  in  Hawaii,  we  are; 
there's  no  doubt  of  that,"  I  said,  "  who  won  the 
fortunes  ?  " 

"  Commodore  Chandler." 

"  Of  course,  as  he  doesn't  need  money.  He's 
such  a  good  player  though.  I  watched  him  Wednes- 
day afternoon,  when  we  were  on  board." 

"You  didn't  play?" 

"  Not  I ;  not  with  those  experts !  " 

"But  who  did  play?  "  asked  Frank. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  was  the  only  woman,  and  as  there 
was  no  one  else  to  play,  except  Billy  Barker,  and 
the  Commodore,  Mrs.  Chandler  suggested  the  Doctor 
to  make  the  fourth." 

"She  frequently  does,  I  hear,"  murmured  Frank. 

"  She  seems  good-hearted ;  I  suppose  she  thinks 
the  Doctor  is  too  much  alone." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Frank  abruptly,  "  why 
don't  you  get  the  Chandlers  to  give  you  their  photo- 
graphs to  add  to  your  collection  ?  " 

"  I  will,"  I  assented,  as  the  dashing  Commodore 
and  his  pretty  wife  rose  before  me. 

"  Who  knows  when  Joe  Elkins  will  be  around 
to  call  again !  "  he  added. 

I  laughed,  for  I  had  confided  to  Frank  that 
whenever  Joe  Elkins,  who  had  no  small  talk  in  his 
repertoire,  came  to  call,  the  photographs  made  con- 
versation, while  otherwise  there  would  have  been  but 
a  communion  of  souls. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  127 

"  I  must  get  them !  "  I  said  with  conviction. 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  a  deep  sigh  from 
Frank. 

"You  mustn't  be  blue,  Frank,"  I  ventured  softly. 
"  Everything  is  sure  to  brighten  up  soon.  Oh,  how 
I  wish  Mr.  Thornton  would  retain  you  in  his  suit 
against  Leiilima ! " 

"  No  possibility  of  that,"  muttered  Frank. 
"  I've  got  to  decide  in  the  next  month  about  going 
to  Japan.  I  can't  dilly-dally  much  longer,  or  the 
chance  will  be  gone." 

We  walked  along  in  silence.  About  us,  all  was 
peaceful  and  quiet ;  the  air  was  like  velvet ;  the 
breeze  was  a  caress ;  even  the  moon  shone  softly 
through  hazy  clouds ;  it  did  not  seera  reasonable  for 
one's  feelings  to  be  disturbed  in  the  midst  of  nature's 
harmony.  I  felt  powerless  to  comfort,  to  advise; 
my  arguments  had  been  futile ;  I  had  nothing  to  say. 

We  reached  the  gate  and  walked  slowly  up  the 
driveway.  I  had  a  distinct  consciousness  that  girls 
were  hampered.  I  almost  longed  to  be  a  widow — • 
until  I  recalled  whose  widow.  When  we  reached  the 
lanai,  I  turned  and  looked  at  Frank.  Perhaps  if 
I'd  been  a  widow,  I  could  not  have  done  more.  He 
grasped  my  hand  and  held  it  tight;  in  fact  it 
was  a  squeeze. 

Abruptly  he  left  me.  And  as  I  watched  him 
go  through  the  garden,  I  reflected  that  a  widow 
might  have  met  his  glance  at  the  gate,  with  a  moon- 
light walk — before  her. 


X. 

MRS.  THORNTON'S  breakfast  set  the  ball  rolling 
for  the  real  Hugo  Basilton.  It  was  something  of  a 
shock  to  learn  that  he  had  been  married  a  year.  In 
fact,  Adrienne  Singlee  had  shown  an  interest  in 
his  coming  that  almost  savored  of  disloyalty  to  the 
Navy.  For  Hugo  Basilton  writes  love  scenes  to 
distraction, — and  a  conclusion  in  stars,  none  other 
being  permissible.  Of  course,  as  Adrienne  said,  the 
printer  made  the  stars,  but  she  was  sure  Hugo 
Basilton  encouraged  him.  It's  true  that  ever  since 
the  first  lisping  of  "  Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star, 
how  I  wonder  what  you  are,"  the  erotic  writers 
have  kept  us  still  wondering. 

Mrs.  Thornton  declared  that  men  of  genius 
should  never  marry;  she  said  this  might  not  be 
original,  but  a  single  man  is  so  much  easier  to 
entertain. 

There  was  no  doubt  that  Hugo  Basilton  must  see 
a  native  feast,  and  Mrs.  Thornton  persuaded  Mrs. 
Kapua  to  have  one  in  his  honor  under  her  famous 
old  hau  trees  on  the  beach,  where  chiefs  and 
chiefesses  had  revelled  in  the  past. 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  more  than  willing;  the  author 
was  good  looking  and  had  an  attraction  possible 
only  to  a  man  of  the  world.  His  mannerisms  most 
of  the  women  found  fascinating.  His  smile  was  sud- 
den and  was  always  preceded  by  an  expression  of 

128 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  129 

deep  gravity;  it  brightened  up  his  face  into  an  un- 
expected radiance  that  was  quite  fetching.  Also, 
he  had  a  lock  of  coal  black  hair  which  fell  over  his 
forehead  continually,  necessitating  a  toss  of  his  head 
to  throw  it  back  into  position.  This  became  exas- 
perating, or  captivating,  according  to  one's  credu- 
lity, or  the  state  of  one's  nerves. 

The  luau  was  a  regular  old-timer,  except  that 
there  was  no  hula  hula.  Mrs.  Kapua  could  not  stand 
the  usual  hula  kui  exhibition  and,  being  undeniably 
clever,  she  knew  how  to  gauge  her  guests.  Hugo 
Basilton  was  only  one  of  them ;  the  rest  were  going 
to  stay, — and  remember.  We  sat  on  the  ground 
with  our  legs  crossed,  in  a  manner  trying  in  the 
extreme  to  any  one  past  the  suppleness  of  childhood. 
The  women  looked  pained  and  spoke  of  the  ecstacy 
of  throwing  aside  conventionality ;  the  men  squirmed 
and  referred  to  history  and  the  comfortable  couches 
about  the  festive  boards  of  the  Romans.  The 
table-cloth  of  ferns  and  the  yellow  ilima  lelsy 
calabashes  of  poi,  tropical  fruits,  and  gorgeous 
masses  of  flowering  vines,  the  heavy  scent  of  the 
malle  leaf,  the  plaintive  singing  of  native  boys  in 
the  background,  the  murmur  of  the  surf  beyond, 
the  soft  light  of  colored  lanterns,  were  all  calculated 
to  arouse  the  great  author  to  a  frenzied  reach  for 
adjectives,  and  a  new  book. 

Both  he  and  his  wife  praised  the  viands,  while 
eating  sparingly  thereof;  this  was  usual, — native 
dishes  look  suspicious.  To  explain  to  them 
9 


130  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  process  by  which  the  root  of  the  taro  plant  was 
converted  into  poi,  a  delicious  and  nutritious  food, 
loved  by  all  Islanders,  native  and  foreign  alike, 
could  not  make  them  perceive  any  virtue  in  what 
they  frankly  acknowledged  was  to  them  but  a  sour 
paste,  unappetizingly  gray  in  color  and  sticky  in 
consistency. 

Mr.  Basilton,  it  is  true,  did  begin  to  take  notice 
when  we  pointed  out  the  romance  possible  in  one 
calabash  of  poi  between  two  congenial  spirits.  And 
when  Mrs.  Kapua  dipped  in  three  of  her  tapering 
fingers  and,  with  a  dexterous  twist  of  her  wrist, 
twirled  the  poi  into  a  neat  lump  around  them  which 
she  conveyed  to  her  mouth,  he  bravely  tried  to  fol- 
low her  example  and  look  pleasant  the  while.  Mrs. 
Kapua  tactfully  assured  him  that  poi  was  an  ac- 
quired taste,  and  he  did  not  try  again.  After  that, 
he  and  Mrs.  Basilton  seemed  to  think  they  had  done 
their  whole  duty  when  they  tasted  and  learned  to 
pronounce  Tcoele  palau,  which  feat  was  accomplished 
when  they  had  learned  that  the  ingredients  were 
only  mashed  sweet  potato,  mixed  with  the  juice  of 
grated  cocoanut.  They  had  evidently  heard  of  the 
poi  dogs  which,  in  the  past,  on  a  diet  restricted 
to  the  fattening  poi,  had  been  converted  into  a  choice 
delicacy  for  the  feast,  and  they  were  going  to  take 
no  chances.  But  the  rest  of  us  ate,  in  native  fashion, 
with  our  fingers  and  considerable  relish,  not  a  whit 
constrained  by  the  politely  suppressed,  but  unmis- 
takable, wonder  of  the  strangers. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  131 

Mrs.  Kapua's  ancestors  had  not  known  chairs 
until  the  missionaries  came  and  her  position  on  the 
ground  was  one  of  careless  repose.  She  did  not  have 
to  keep  moving  so  that  her  legs  wouldn't  go  to  sleep. 
She  certainly  had  the  advantage  of  us,  all  through. 
She  looked  stunning  in  a  gown  that  was  the  color 
of  her  ruby  pendant,  a  carnation  lei  wreathed  saucily 
in  her  black  hair,  just  above  her  brow.  Over  her 
head  a  handsome  Hawaiian  girl  waved  a  kahili, 
with  the  rhythmic  motion  of  a  trained  retainer. 

The  charms  of  the  other  women  paled  by  com- 
parison; even  Mrs.  Thornton,  her  good  looks  en- 
hanced by  her  exquisite  diamond  sunburst,  and 
Mrs.  Chandler  in  pale  pink  with  crush  roses  the 
color  of  her  cheeks,  were  almost  insignificant  with 
our  dashing  hostess  to  outshine  them. 

Perhaps  it  was  the  first  time  the  Commodore  had 
seen  Mrs.  Kapua  dressed  in  anything  but  white; 
although  undeniably  her  color,  it  could  not  produce 
this  effect.  Mrs.  Kapua  seemed  unconscious  of  his 
gaze,  but  she  had  not  put  on  that  red  gown  for 
nothing.  The  Commodore  was  not  going  to  have 
smooth  sailing  with  her,  not  to  the  point  of  monot- 
ony, at  any  rate. 

It  was  quite  interesting  to  watch  Adrienne  Sing- 
lee,  for  it  was  a  study  to  see  how  she  could  keep 
one  eye  on  Hugo  Basilton  and  the  other  on  Mrs. 
Kapua,  without  becoming  cross-eyed  in  the  effort. 

Mrs.  Kapua  is  regarded  as  a  kahuna  by  the 
superstitious  of  the  community,  and  this  means  that 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

she  has  supernatural  powers  in  more  than  one  direc- 
tion. It  is  queer  what  a  long  residence  in  the  Islands 
will  do  for  us ;  I  acknowledge  that  I  would  not 
struggle  against  Mrs.  Kapua  when  she  puts  on  her 
red  gown.  Kahunas  are  bad  enough  at  any  time, 
but  in  red  they  are  in  working  clothes,  so  to  speak. 
I,  of  course,  don't  believe  that  Mrs.  Kapua  can 
"  pray  to  death,"  but  in  the  face  of  evidence  I  can 
but  think  she  can  "  pray  to  love." 

,We  had  watched  the  case  of  Lieutenant  Sanford, 
who  was  only  one  among  many.  Lieutenant  Sanford 
was  engaged  to  a  girl  at  home,  and  never  was  a 
man  more  oblivious  to  the  charms  of  all  others. 
Mrs.  Kapua  saw  him  and  his  six  feet  two  of  blond 
good  looks.  She  put  on  her  red  gown  and  sallied 
forth  to  conquer.  It  was  on  board  the  Dragon. 
Mrs.  Kapua  was  dancing  a  waltz,  with  a  hula  sug- 
gestion skilfully  modulated  to  the  perfection  of 
grace.  She  passed  Lieutenant  Sanford  five  times. 
The  first  time  he  was  apparently  unseeing.  The 
second,  he  saw  her.  The  third,  he  regarded  her 
impassively.  The  fourth,  he  gazed.  The  fifth,  he 
stared.  Then  he  asked  for  an  introduction,  and 
from  that  moment  Lieutenant  Sanford  was  Mrs. 
Kapua's  slave. 

It  scarcely  seems  fair  that  Mrs.  Kapua  should 
inherit  the  kahuna  power  while  the  rest  of  us  are 
endowed  with  only  human  powers  of  attraction.  But 
Mrs.  Basilton  was  serenely  unconscious  of  any 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  133 

material  danger.  Her  open  blue  eyes  met  a  half- 
veiled  glance  of  Mrs.  Kapua's  with  an  equanimity 
which  betrayed  the  fact  that  she  herself  preferred 
blondes.  Mrs.  Basilton  was  pretty,  very  pretty. 
Her  eyes  were  like  violets  until,  in  a  shadowed  light, 
they  suggested  purple  pansies.  Her  skin  was  daz- 
zlingly  fair;  her  hair  waved  softly  in  reddish-gold 
masses.  She  wore  a  white  lace  gown  cut  off  at  the 
shoulders  in  a  way  that  might  have  been  daring, 
had  not  her  shoulders  testified  to  the  reason. 

"  I  had  no  idea  that  Honolulu  was  so  gay,"  said 
Mrs.  Basilton.  "  Really,  New  York  is  dead  socially 
in  comparison  with  this."  Her  intonation  was  due 
west;  her  twang  each  point  of  the  compass  would 
be  sure  to  disclaim,  twangs  not  being  popular.  "  Mr. 
Basilton  and  I  have  travelled  everywhere,  but  I  never 
got  into  a  place  where  one  needs  so  many  gowns," 
she  declared. 

Everybody  beamed;  the  social  life  of  Honolulu 
we  feel  to  be  its  little  all.  And  nobody  interrupted 
Mrs.  Basilton  with  the  information  that  Honolulu, 
in  the  hope  of  being  written  up,  had  striven  for  the 
entertainment  of  the  famous  author  with  every  ex- 
pectation that  his  next  love  scene  would  be  entirely 
tropical  and  forced  to  end  in  stars. 

"  In  fact,"  added  Mrs.  Basilton,  "  I  haven't  a 
thing  to  wear !  " 

There  was  a  chorus  of  protest  from  the  women ; 
the  men  gazed  at  the  fair  prattler's  snowy  shoulders 
and  didn't  say  what  they  looked. 


134  A  JEWEL  OP  THE  SEAS 

Mr.  Basilton  tossed  the  lock  of  hair  from  his 
broad  forehead.  "  The  wife  of  Basilton  needs  no 
clothes,"  he  said  with  infinite  gravity. 

We  waited  for  him  to  add,  "  Metaphorically 
speaking,"  which  might  have  relieved  the  tension, 
but  neither  the  great  author  nor  his  wife  seemed  to 
think  this  necessary,  so  from  any  one  else  it  would 
surely  have  been  superfluous.  Mr.  Basilton  tossed 
the  lock  once  more  from  his  brow  and  laughed. 

"  Mrs.  Basilton  and  I  went  to  a  dinner  before 
we  left  New  York,"  he  resumed,  "  and  at  Mrs. 
Basilton's  seat  she  found  this  little  squib : 

"  *  The  wives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 

They  can  do  a  thing  or  two, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  them 
Footprints  just  a  few — and  new.'  " 

Inordinate  laughter  greeted  the  squib. 

"  Is  it  true,  Mr.  Basilton,  that  an  author  must 
feel  emotions  to  write  them  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Kapua, 
leaning  forward  and  lightly  touching  his  arm. 

Each  liquid  tone  of  her  voice  was  a  caress ;  her 
touch — we  all  know  the  Hawaiian  touch — supple, 
soft,  lingering.  Mr.  Basilton  looked  into  the  depths 
of  her  dark  eyes,  one  moment  inscrutable,  the  next 
guileless,  as  though  for  him  she  allowed  the  veil  to 
drop  that  hid  her  soul.  We  all  know  the  Kapua 
road  to  conquest,  though  we  cannot  grasp  the  side 
paths  of  kahunaism. 

"  In  a  measure,"  replied  the  Great  and  Only 
Basilton.  "I,  for  instance,  am  wofully  the  slave 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  135 

of  my  moods.  You  remember  the  ball  in  the  eighth 
chapter  of  my  last  novel?  Would  you  believe  that 
I  had  to  put  on  my  dress-suit  before  I  could  catch 
the  pulsation,  the  intensity,  that  throbs  in  heart- 
beats to  glowing  undertones  of  music  ?  " 

Nobody  answered  until  Adrienne  Singlee  mur- 
mured, "  I  must  read  it  again."  Her  tone  showed 
that  she  felt  she  had  more  to  grasp. 

"  I  am  too  restricted ;  I  never  could  write," 
sighed  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  But  you — you  feel  that  love 
is  limitless." 

This  implied  that  she  didn't,  but  as  Hugo  Basil- 
ton,  himself  has  written — though  perhaps  in  more 
chastened  language — :  "  Only  she  who  goes  the 
limit,  talks  of  love's  limitations." 

"  Shall  we  go  down  on  the  Beach?  "  continued 
our  hostess,  rising  from  her  seat  with  an  ease  unlike 
the  usual  scramble  necessary  to  get  up  from  the 
ground.  "  Mr.  Basilton,  I  want  you  to  see  the 
glory  of  our  moonlight  at  Waikiki." 

"  Ah,  Hawaii,  Paradox  of  the  Pacific ! "  ex- 
claimed Hugo  Basilton.  "  Moonlight  and  leprosy, 
waving  palms  and  bubonic  plague;  still  art  thou 
justly  called  Paradise!" 

And,  looking  down  into  Mrs.  Kapua's  upturned 
eyes,  he  sauntered  off  with  her. 

The  rest  of  us,  as  one,  stole  a  glance  at  Mrs. 
Basilton.  And  in  her  absolute  tranquillity,  it  was 
plain  to  see  that  she  still  thought  the  blonde  migh- 
tier than  the  brunette, 


136  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

So,  as  all  was  well  with  her,  and  I  had  started 
to  hunt  for  trouble,  I  continued  the  search  and 
looked  for  the  Commodore. 

He  had  won  on  the  Gelda,  but  next  time  he  had 
a  game  with  Mrs.  Kapua,  he  would  be  apt  to  re- 
member that  two  could  play  it.  However,  he  stopped 
biting  his  moustache  and  leaned  over  his  wife  to 
speak  to  her.  In  a  few  minutes,  they  went  inside 
together. 

Billy  Barker  came  over  to  me.  With  an  exag- 
gerated carelessness  that  prepared  me  for  mischief, 
he  recalled  to  my  mind  the  fact  that  I  had  asked 
him  for  the  address  of  a  Chinese  cook.  And  I  knew 
better  than  to  dispute  his  assertion.  I  only  hoped 
that  no  one  would  stop  to  think  that  my  cook  was 
Japanese. 

I  took  the  paper  he  handed  me,  and  I  read: 

Wives  of  great  men  should  remind  us 
Hubby's  work  is  quite  sublime, 

And  remaining,  keep  this  going, 
He  can  stand  it  all  the  time. 

"  It  really  did  not  take  so  long  to  get  it  as  you'd 
think,"  murmured  Billy. 

And  I  never  saw  him  look  more  pleased.  He 
returned  to  Mrs.  Spotfield's  side. 

Such  is  the  informality  of  an  entertainment  at 
Waikiki,  and  a  native  feast  above  any  other,  that  a 
hostess  is  free. 

In  a  careful  undertone,  Frank  remarked  that  as 
Mrs.  Kapua  was  free  and  Hugo  Basilton  was  easy, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  137 

the  result  was  a  rare  exemplification  of  congeniality. 

So  it  was  some  time  before  they  returned.  When 
they  did,  they  found  us  in  the  lanai,  enjoying 
comfortable  chairs.  Hugo  Basilton  sought  his 
wife's  side  and  murmured  something  about  u  types  " 
and  "  local  color."  And  Mrs.  Basilton  ruffled  her 
hair  into  a  further  study  in  disorder  and  ravishing 
,Titian  tints. 

"It's  too  bad  she's  so  dark,"  she  rejoined  in 
a  low  voice.  "  Couldn't  you  put  some  gold  lights  in 
her  hair  when  you  write  her  up,  Hugo?  " 

The  Great  and  Only  Basilton  looked  inscrutable. 

"  I'll  do  my  best  to  make  her  possible,"  he  said. 

Mrs.  Chandler  and  the  Commodore  strolled  out 
through  the  blind  doors  opening  into  the  lanai. 

"  We  have  been  enjoying  Mrs.  Kapua's  collec- 
tion of  calabashes,"  said  the  Commodore. 

"  Ah,  I  have  wanted  a  chance  to  speak  to  you, 
Mrs.  Chandler ! "  Hugo  Basilton  stepped  towards 
her  and  bowed  low  as  he  spoke,  and  Mrs.  Chandler 
showed  her  pretty  teeth  in  a  gratified  smile.  "  Your 
face  is  very  familiar,"  he  added.  "  I  cannot  rest 
until  I  recall  where  we  have  met." 

Mrs.  Chandler's  face  fell;  the  compliment,  of 
course,  was  no  longer  distinct. 

"  Mrs.  Chandler  has  been  in  every  country," 
interposed  the  Commodore.  "  Perhaps  in 
Egypt-  -" 

"  No,  I  have  never  been  in  Egypt.    Mrs.  Chand- 


138  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ler,  I  throw  myself  on  your  mercy ;  surely  you  must 
remember  where  or  how  you  have  met  me !  " 

He  did  not  add,  "  Me,  Basilton !  "  nor  a  list  of 
his  books. 

Mrs.  Chandler  shook  her  head  and  murmured 
that  she  had  never  had  the  pleasure. 

But  the  author  still  looked  puzzled. 

"  I  want  to  see  Mrs.  Kapua's  calabashes,"  said 
Mrs.  Thornton,  rising.  "  Frank,  will  you  come 
with  me?" 

"  Allow  me,"  said  the  Commodore,  gallantly 
presenting  his  arm. 

Mrs.  Thornton  slipped  her  other  arm  through 
Frank's. 

"  Don't  you  girls  wish  you  were  a  belle?  "  she 
laughed,  turning  as  she  stepped  through  the  bead 
portieres,  held  aside  by  the  Commodore. 

Her  sunburst,  I  noticed,  shone  no  brighter  than 
her  eyes.  I  never  knew  a  woman  with  eyes  so  spark- 
ling as  Mrs.  Thornton's ;  no  wonder  diamonds  were 
so  becoming  to  her. 

It  was  rather  stupid  on  the  lanai  after  they  left. 
Mrs.  Chandler  talked  of  New  York's  four  hundred 
and  knew  the  nicknames  of  the  prominent  million- 
aires. Mrs.  Basilton's  reminiscences  were  mostly 
of  the  literary  set.  Her  husband  spoke  little;  he 
gazed,  almost  stared,  in  fact,  at  Mrs.  Chandler,  and 
she  met  his  eye  carelessly  as  she  flung  a  procession 
of  names  familiar  to  Fifth  Avenue  and  Newport  at 
his  head. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  139 

I  sighed  with  relief  as  I  heard  Mrs.  Thornton's 
voice  approaching.  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  go 
home,  and  I  kept  an  eye  on  the  bead  portiere,  so 
that  I  could  wink  discreetly  but  significantly  at 
Frank.  He  stepped  through  first  and  held  the 
beaded  strings  aside.  Just  then  the  electric  lights 
went  out — a  pleasant  little  trick  electricity  has  with 
us,  thanks  to  monopoly  and  a  weak  circuit. 

Everybody  said,  "  Oh !  "  But  I  said  it  to  my- 
self, and  it  wasn't  "oh."  It  was  exasperating! 
Frank  could  not  see  my  wink.  Almost  instantly  the 
lights  went  up,  and  everybody  said,  "  Ah !  " 

Mrs.  Thornton  came  towards  me,  laughing.  "  A 
great  problem  is  solved !  "  she  cried.  "  I'm  going 
to  choose  a  tall  calabash  for  my  Christmas  present 
from  George." 

"  Why,  where  is  your  diamond  sunburst  ?  "  I 
exclaimed. 

Mrs.  Thornton  put  her  hand  to  her  head  and 
looked  bewildered. 

Everybody  was  talking  and  laughing.  I  had 
once  heard  a  Honolulu  hostess  say  that  she  had 
ceased  to  care  when  the  lights  went  out;  it  made 
things  so  informal. 

Hugo  Basilton,  who  certainly  laid  claim  to 
startling  originality,  called  out :  "  '  Where  was 
Moses  when  the  light  went  out  ?  '  And  his  hearty 
laugh  rang  just  as  true  as  though  it  were  the  first 
time  this  conundrum  had  ever  been  perpetrated. 

"  Don't  make  a  fuss,"  whispered  Mrs.  Thorn- 


140  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ton  to  Frank.  "But  tell  George,  will  you?  You 
and  he  can  help  me  look  for  it ;  I  must  have  dropped 
it  inside." 

I  went  in  with  them,  and  we  searched  for  the 
pin.  But  in  vain.  It  was  nowhere  to  be  found. 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  distressed,  when  told,  and 
warmly  sympathetic.  But  she  was  confident  that 
the  jewels  would  be  recovered;  and  she  begged  Mrs. 
Thornton  not  to  worry. 

"  I  can  rely  absolutely  on  my  servants ;  they 
shall  look  for  your  sunburst  the  very  first  thing 
in  the  morning.  I  am  sure  it  has  rolled  in  some 
corner  under  the  furniture.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
we  will  find  it." 

This  was  reassuring,  and  anyway  there  was 
nothing  further  to  be  done.  Mrs.  Thornton  would 
not  make  her  hostess  uncomfortable,  so  she  assumed 
a  confidence  that  she  could  scarcely  feel. 

Soon  after,  we  left. 

"  Poor  Mrs.  Thornton,"  I  said  to  Frank.  "  I'm 
afraid  she  won't  sleep,  she  is  so  upset.  But  there 
was  no  use  in  hunting  any  more  to-night." 

"  No,"  said  Frank. 

"  I'm  sure  the  pin  will  be  found  to-morrow,  in 
spite  of  it  being  strange  that  anything  as  big  and 
brilliant  should  disappear  like  that." 

"  Yes,"  said  Frank. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  awful  if  Mrs.  Kapua  did  not 
know  her  servants  so  well!  Hard  on  them,  as  well 
as  risky  for  Mrs.  Thornton.  But,  she  has  had 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  HI 

them  for  years,  except  the  new  cook,  and  he  doesn't 
count,  so  there  can  be  no  danger,  so  far  as  the 
servants  are  concerned." 

"  None ;  that's  so,"  said  Frank. 

"  There's  one  thing  about  us,  and  that  is  we 
have  never  known  anything  in  Hawaii  but  petty 
thefts ;  we  have  been  fortunate  in  that." 

"  Yes  indeed,"  said  Frank  . 

There  was  not  much  inspiration  for  a  continua- 
tion of  the  subject  and  as  Frank  seemed  tired  and 
depressed,  we  drove  the  rest  of  the  way  home, 
almost  in  silence. 

"  I've  been  thinking  over  this  Japan  business," 
said  Frank.  "  I've  given  it  up." 

A  great  wave  of  happiness  swept  over  me. 

"  The  chance  of  what  I  might  gain  there  is 
swallowed  up  in  what  I  might  lose  here.  I  can't  go ; 
I  can't  leave — Honolulu — that's  all  there  is  to  it." 

"  I  knew  you  would  be  true  blue,"  I  said,  just 
as  I  used  to  when  we  went  to  school. 

And  in  a  moment  Frank  said  simply :  "  Good 
night." 


XI. 

ADBIENNE  SINGLES  said  it  was  a  perfect  shame 
that  no  one  had  given  the  Chandlers  a  moonlight 
bathing  party.  And  every  one  agreed  with  her, 
and  encouraged  her  to  be  a  hostess  and  to  set  a 
date  right  then.  For  Honolulu  loves  the  moonlight 
and  loves  the  sea.  Nowhere  does  the  moon  shine 
with  such  radiance  as  in  Hawaii,  and  only  Waikiki, 
with  its  sandy  beach,  and  widely  stretching  waters, 
can  be  lit  into  such  soft,  cool,  pale  beauty. 

The  Singlee  girls  make  a  specialty  of  their 
bathing  suits.  They  were  just  getting  new  ones, 
so  we  had  to  wait  five  nights  for  the  party.  They 
have  trim,  slim  figures,  rather  on  the  boyish  order, 
and  bathing  suits  are  very  becoming  to  them. 

Frank  and  I  were  starting  rather  late,  for  we 
had  been  discussing  Mrs.  Thornton's  lost  sunburst. 

"  It  will  not  be  found,"  declared  Frank. 

"  Frank !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Why  not?  That's 
too  absurd.  Surely  Mrs.  Thornton  must  have  lost 
it  in  the  house,  for  I  distinctly  saw  it  when  she  went 
in  with  you  and  Commodore  Chandler  to  see  the 
calabashes." 

"Yes,"  said  Frank  slowly;  "she  had  it  on 
then." 

"Well— well?"  My  tone  was  impatient,  but 
Frank  did  not  answer  me.  "  Frank,"  I  said  with 
some  warmth,  "  you  either  mean  something  or  you 
don't !  "  This  was  certainly  a  plain  statement  and 

142 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  143 

did  not  seem  to  call  for  a  reply.  At  least,  there  was 
none.  "  I  shall  begin  to  think  you  took  the  dia- 
monds if  you  are  so  mysterious,"  I  said  laughingly. 

A  dead  pause  ensued,  and  I  began  to  feel  un- 
comfortable. At  last  indignation  took  possession 
of  me.  "  I  just  hate  you  when  you  act  like  this  1  " 
I  exclaimed.  "  You  evidently  have  something  on 
your  mind,  and  you  either  hint  at  it  or  keep  silent. 
You  don't  trust  me ;  we  have  been  friends  for  years, 
but  you — you  treat  me  like  a  stranger;  not  like  a 
friend!" 

"  We  are  not  friends,"  said  Frank  significantly. 

"  Not  friends !  "  I  cried,  but  my  voice  did  not 
sound  sincere. 

"  No,"  said  Frank  somewhat  gloomily ;  "  I  am 
more  than  a  friend  to  you — you  know  it,  dear. 
Yet  I  cannot  be  more — I  cannot  say  more " 

"Why  not?"  I  began  impetuously;  it  slipped 
out  in  spite  of  me. 

"  A  man  has  no  right  to  tell  a  girl  he  loves  her 
unless  he  can  ask  her  to  marry  him,"  said  Frank. 

"  Any  man  can  ask  a  girl  to  marry  him,"  I 
said  tentatively. 

"Not  always." 

"  Well,  if  he  isn't  secretly  married,  if  he  doesn't 
inherit  insanity,  or  something  like  that " 

"  It  doesn't  have  to  go  as  far  as  insanity,"  said 
Frank.  "  It  would  be  a  selfish  brute  who  would 
ask  a  girl  to  share  his  poverty." 

"  Oh,  it's  the  same  old  story ! "  I  cried  impetu- 


144  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

ously.  "  A  man  is  the  most  selfish  while  persuad- 
ing himself  of  his  generosity.  He  never  stops  to 
think  of  a  girl's  limitations;  he  never  stops  to  put 
himself  in  her  place;  it  never  enters  his  head  to 
think  how  she  must  feel — to  think  how  it  must  seem 
to  sit  around  and  wait.  If  she  cares  for  him,  she 
wonders  and  doubts  until  the  wonder  becomes  a 
worry,  and  the  doubt  an  agony,  and  she  must  hide 
both,  while  he — with  the  power  to  act,  with  the  right 
to  speak  which  has  been  the  privilege  of  man  since 
the  world  began — he  keeps  it  all  to  himself  and 
comforts  himself  with  thoughts — false  thoughts — 
of  his  generosity  and  unselfishness.  Why  can't 
he  tell  the  girl  and  let  her  at  least  be  in  it,  instead 
of  on  the  outside,  like  any  mere  acquaintance  ?  Why 
can't  he  tell  her  and  let  her  have  a  say  in  a  question 
that  concerns  her  as  much  as  it  does  him?  Why 
can't  he  let  her  into  a  decision  which  means  her  life 
as  well  as  his?  If  she  is  willing  to  take  the  risk, 
if  she  is  willing  to  wait — at  least,  give  her  the " 

I  started  violently.  Frank  had  my  hand  in  his 
and  dropped  it  guiltily. 

"  It  is  only  the  telephone,"  I  said  with  a  gulp. 

I  went  to  answer  it,  and  Mrs.  Chandler's  voice 
asked  if  the  Comodore  was  with  me,  and  if  she 
might  speak  to  him. 

"  Not  there !  "  she  exclaimed,  when  I  told  her 
I  had  not  seen  him.  "  Why,  he  started  for  your 
house  a  couple  of  hours  ago,  at  least.  He  left  his 
bathing  suit  there  yesterday  when  we  went  to  call ; 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  145 

it  was  done  up  in  a  small  bundle,  and  he  left  it  on  a 
chair  in  the  lanai,  he  said.  He  was  to  have  met  me, 
and  I  cannot  imagine  where  he  can  be.  I'm  not 
going  to  wait  for  him  any  longer.  Will  you  tell 
him  I'll  go  straight  to  the  Singlees',  and  meet  him 
there?" 

"  All  right,  I'll  tell  him,"  I  said.  "  And  if  he 
does  not  come,  I'll  hunt  up  the  bundle  and  take  it  to 
the  Singlees'  for  him.  I'm  just  about  to  start;  yes, 
I'll  leave  a  message  for  him ;  good-by." 

As  I  hung  up  the  receiver,  I  felt  I  could  never 
go  back  to  the  lanai  and  Frank.  My  cheeks  were 
blazing!  I  felt  almost  as  if  I  had  proposed.  As  I 
hesitated,  I  heard  the  Commodore's  voice  outside; 
it  was  a  great  relief,  and  I  went  out  after  a  moment 
to  give  him  his  wife's  message. 

"  I  was  detained  at  the  club,"  he  said.  "  I 
tried  to  telephone,  but  the  line  was  out  of  order." 

"Will  you  drive  to  the  Singlees'  with  us?"  I 
asked. 

The  Commodore  thanked  me  and  said  he  would 
be  delighted. 

"  You  dismissed  your  hack  ?  "  This  was  half 
a  statement  and  half  a  question  from  Frank. 

"Hack?"  rejoined  the  Commodore.  "Oh, 
hack — yes,  beg  pardon,  my  thoughts  wandered  for 
a  moment.  Yes,  the  poor  old  horse  was  no  good, 
and  I  got  out  at  the  corner.  Jove!  what  a  view 
of  the  surrounding  country  this  house  commands, 
though !  " 
10 


146  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

I  could  not  find  the  Commodore's  bundle  any- 
where about  the  lanai,  so  I  called  Tumi  and  asked 
her  about  it. 

"  No  see,"  said  Tumi.  "  Plenty  sweep  before, 
plenty  clean  lanai.  No  see." 

"  I  must  have  made  a  mistake  and  left  it  some- 
where else,"  said  the  Commodore. 

I  offered  to  lend  him  a  spare  bathing  suit  of  my 
father's,  and  he  seemed  most  appreciative  of  the 
offer.  Tumi  did  it  up  in  her  usual  deft  way,  and 
the  Commodore  seemed  surprised  when  she  handed 
it  to  him  so  quickly. 

"  Isn't  it  too  early  to  go  ?  "  he  suggested. 

"  Oh,  no,  we  are  late !  "  I  replied,  and  I  led  the 
way  down  the  steps  to  the  carriage. 

"  What  is  the  exquisite  scent  that  always  lingers 
about  this  lanai?  "  asked  the  Commodore,  pausing. 

I  explained  that  it  came  from  the  stephanotis 
vine  climbing  over  the  trellis. 

"  May  I  have  a  flower  for  my  buttonhole  ?  " 
asked  the  Commodore. 

Of  course  I  couldn't  say  no,  but  I  felt  like  it; 
the  horses  were  getting  restive,  and  we  were  late 
anyway.  I  hastily  retraced  my  steps  and  picked  a 
bunch  of  the  waxy  flowers. 

"  They  are  a  little  heavy  for  a  boutonniere," 
I  said,  as  I  handed  them  to  him. 

"  Don't  you  think  their  perfume  would  be  quite 
perfect  if  you  pinned  them  on  for  me?  "  suggested 
the  Commodore. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  147 

I  laughed  and  assured  him,  as  I  started  to 
fasten  them  in,  that  he  had  put  this  very  prettily. 

"  Here  is  a  pin,"  said  the  Commodore,  and  no 
sooner  had  he  uttered  the  words  than  he  dropped  it. 
"  How  stupid  of  me !  "  he  exclaimed. 

We  both  hunted  for  it,  but  of  course  it  was 
gone,  or  the  light  was  too  uncertain. 

"  Could  you  send  for  another? "  asked  the 
Commodore. 

But  Tumi  was  right  at  hand  with  one.  After 
all,  it  had  not  delayed  us  more  than  a  moment.  I 
jumped  in  the  carriage  and  the  Commodore  slowly 
followed  me,  after  a  polite  argument  with  Frank 
as  to  which  of  my  escorts  should  have  the  seat 
beside  me.  Certainly  the  Commodore  was  in  no 
hurry.  The  horses  were  nervous  from  waiting  and 
went  like  the  wind.  The  Commodore  kept  saying 
66  Whoa !  "  as  though  he  owned  them.  He  finally 
explained  that  he  feared  I  was  nervous.  I  thought 
to  myself  that  he  certainly  was.  Ahead  of  us  was 
a  hack  with  a  white  horse  that  loomed  up  in  the 
moonlight  very  white,  and  equally  slow.  In  fact  it 
was  a  tired-out  hack  horse,  and  no  mistake. 

The  Commodore  uttered  an  exclamation. 
"  Stop !  "  he  cried.  "  One  of  the  bathing  suits  has 
dropped  out." 

"  Oh,  pshaw !  how  stupid  of  Tumi !  "  I  cried. 
"  I  told  her  to  put  the  rug  over  it." 

"  Allow  me,"  said  the  Commodore,  starting  to 
get  out. 


148  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

But  Frank  had  jumped  from  the  front  seat  and 
was  back  with  the  bundle  in  a  jiffy. 

"  Drive  fast,"  I  heard  him  whisper  to  Nagasaki. 

We  were  soon  passing  the  carriage  with  the 
white  horse,  and  I  leaned  forward  to  see  who  was 
inside,  feeling  sure  that  it  must  be  some  one  from 
our  neighborhood,  bound  for  the  Singlee's.  Com- 
ing up  from  the  back,  where  the  carriage  lights  did 
not  dazzle  one,  it  was  easy  to  distinguish  Mrs. 
Kapua,  though  she  was  leaning  far  back  in  the 
corner  and  almost  seemed  to  be  trying  to  avoid  us. 

"  Aloha!  "  I  called  out  gaily.  "  Going  to  the 
Singlee's ;  we'll  meet  you  there."  And  we  dashed  on. 

"  Who  was  it  ?  "  asked  the  Commodore. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua,"  I  answered.  "  I  wonder  why 
she  came  up  in  this  direction  first — and  in  a  hack, 
too!" 

"  Are  you  sure  it  was  Mrs.  Kapua?  "  asked  the 
Commodore,  incredulity  in  his  tone.  "  It  did  not 
look  like  her  to  me.  Yes?  Well,  I  heard  her  say 
one  of  her  horses  was  lame;  that  accounts  for  the 
hack.  Charming  woman,  really.  But,  not  the  only 
charming,  pretty  Honolulu  belle." 

For  a  moment  I  was  puzzled,  but  the  Commo- 
dore's bold  glance  and  lowered  tone  convinced  me 
that  I  was  the  only  other  one,  to  him.  He  pressed 
his  foot  against  mine. 

"  Let  me  be  your  partner  in  bathing,"  he  whis- 
pered. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  149 

"  Oh,"  I  protested,  "  we  don't  have  partners. 
We — we  just  go  in." 

"  But  may  I  stay  by  you  ? "  he  persisted. 
"  Surely  you  don't  know  how  to  swim?  Let  me 
teach  you !  " 

"  Fancy  an  Island  girl  not  knowing  how  to 
swim ! "  I  laughed,  but  the  Commodore  did  not  like 
to  be  teased,  I  could  see.  He  could  be  a  bad  enemy, 
I  was  sure;  whether  he  would  be  a  good  friend  or 
not,  I  could  n't  tell,  but  at  least  he  might  be  neutral. 
"  But  even  if  I  can  swim,  you  could  teach  me  many 
things  perhaps — if  you  would,"  I  amended. 

"  May  I  ?  "  murmured  the  Commodore  as  we 
dashed  up  to  the  Singlee  steps. 

Evidently  the  Commodore,  too,  was  not  "  a 
bigoted  married  man." 

Everybody  was  in  the  lanal  down  by  the  sea, 
when  we  got  there ;  the  Hugo  Basiltons,  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler, the  Thorntons,  the  Mitchells,  Mrs.  Spotfield, 
Elsie  Stowe,  Jo  Elkins,  Guy  Selby,  Teddy  Skelton 
and  a  couple  of  other  middies,  Billy  Barker — in 
fact,  as  he  expressed  it :  "  The  prizes  of  the  bunch." 
All  the  women  wore  shirtwaist  gowns,  befitting  the 
informality  of  the  entertainment,  and  the  men  were 
in  duck. 

"  Any  news  of  your  diamonds  ?  "  I  asked  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

"  Not  yet,"  she  said  dolefully.  "  My  only  con- 
solation is  that  they  were  lost  indoors." 


150  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

When  Mrs.  Kapua  arrived  she  explained  the 
delay  that  had  forced  her  to  keep  the  party  waiting. 
Her  voice  was  so  musical  that  one  didn't  care  if  the 
reason  was  off  key.  She  greeted  me  in  her  graceful, 
pretty  way. 

"  I  wanted  to  stop  you  and  get  in  behind  your 
fast  span,"  she  said.  "  Ah,  Commodore,  so  glad 
to  meet  you  again !  I  still  remember  our  last  waltz 
together.  All  sailors  dance  so  well !  " 

"  Thanks  for  a  very  general  compliment,"  re- 
sponded the  Commodore  gaily. 

Those  of  us  who  were  going  in  started  for  the 
bath-houses. 

"  No  wonder  the  Commodore  left  his  hack  at 
the  corner !  "  whispered  Frank  to  me,  before  he 
went  off  with  the  other  fellows. 

"  Come  up  to  my  room  and  undress,"  Adrienne 
proposed.  "  Then  we  will  go  down  in  our  kimonos, 
and  come  back  to  dress  comfortably,  after  we've 
had  a  shower  in  the  little  bath-house.  There  will  be 
nobody  in  there,  and  we  can  have  it  to  ourselves." 

Adrienne  was  ready  first  and  hurried  down  to 
the  pier,  leaving  me  to  carry  our  towels  to  the  bath- 
house. I  followed  her  a  few  moments  later  and 
went  slowly  over  the  grass,  for  there  was  always 
danger  of  a  thorn  from  the  algeroba  trees. 

The  lawn,  between  the  shadows  of  the  branching 
trees,  was  lit  up  by  the  clear  rays  of  the  moon. 
Beyond  stretched  the  waters,  dancing,  rippling, 
shimmering,  breaking  into  snowy  froth  where  the 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  151 

surf  thundered,  outside  the  coral  reef.  I  wondered 
afresh  why  no  tidal  waves  rose  in  their  might  by 
our  peaceful  shore.  And  I  recalled  Adrienne's  ex- 
planation that  the  reef  might  not  stop  a  wave,  but 
at  least  "  it  would  weaken  it  down  below."  Farther 
on,  I  lingered  to  watch  the  big  breakers  as  they 
rolled,  and  shone,  and  tossed  their  crests  trium- 
phantly. But  their  glory  was  only  reflected,  after 
all,  and  when  they  sank  again  way  down  in  the  dark 
hollows,  and  the  mysterious  shadows,  there  were 
strange  whisperings,  and  sighings,  as  though  they 
were  crying  for  the  moon  they  had  tried  so  hard 
to  catch.  We  all  have  our  pet  moon  and  we  all  cry 
for  it.  Frank  was  no  exception  of  course;  and  a 
big  case  was  a  radiant  possibility. 

I  turned  to  the  left,  where  the  small  bath-house 
stood.  It  was  dark  and  evidently  unoccupied.  I 
went  carefully,  almost  on  tiptoe,  for  there  was 
likely  to  be  a  lot  of  thorns  around  where  the  yard 
boys  neglected  to  sweep ;  this  was  economy  of  labor, 
for  the  other  two  bath-houses,  which  were  larger, 
were  more  often  used. 

As  I  reached  the  door  a  tall  figure  stepped  out 
of  the  shadow,  and  the  Commodore's  voice  murmured 
tenderly : 

"  Are  you  ready,  Kuu  Aloha?  "  * 

I  pressed  the  electric  light  button,  for  which 
I  had  been  feeling,  and  he  started  violently  as  my 
eye  met  his. 


*  My  loved  one. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

A  soft  footfall  behind  made  me  turn ;  it  was  Mrs. 
Kapua  coming  out  in  her  red  bathing  suit,  with  red 
stockings  to  match,  and  a  red  handkerchief  tied  in 
a  stunning  bow  on  her  dark  hair. 

The  Commodore's  smile  had  faded. 

"I  had  just  turned  out  the  light,"  said  Mrs. 
Kapua,  in  her  musical  voice.  "  Come,  we  will  go 
down  to  the  pier  together." 

There  was  one  thing  certain,  and  that  was  that 
Mrs.  Chandler  was  not  worrying  over  the  Commo- 
dore. She  was  busy  with  Billy  Barker.  She  hesi- 
tated on  the  last  step  that  led  from  the  pier  down 
into  the  sea,  in  a  bathing  suit  of  heavy  black  silk, 
with  pale  blue  bands ;  it  was  very  chic  and  becoming. 
Around  her  head  was  tied  a  pale  blue  silk  handker- 
chief in  a  jaunty  bow,  allowing  a  few  curls  to  escape 
on  her  forehead  and  about  her  neck;  a  blue  sash, 
tied  on  one  side  in  a  sailor  knot,  completed  a  cos- 
tume that  made  a  picture  of  her. 

The  water  was  like  a  caress ;  one  couldn't  feel  a 
chill  even  when  first  going  in.  I  called  to  her  to 
join  us,  but  she  still  hovered  on  the  brink  and 
shivered  prettily. 

"  Mr.  Barker  is  going  to  help  me  put  on  my 
water-wings,  and  then  I'll  come,"  she  said. 

But  it  took  a  long  while  to  fasten  the  water- 
wings,  for  she  stayed  on  the  step  all  the  time  and 
looked  like  a  cute  little  chorus  girl  on  the  stage. 

Billy  Barker  never  left  her  side,  preferring  his 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  153 

role  of  guide,  adviser,  and  friend  to  any  sport  with 
old  Neptune. 

It  was  a  night  made  for  romance;  Mrs.  Spot- 
field  stood  on  the  pier  and  looked  as  if  she  thought 
Mrs.  Chandler's  skirt  was  too  short.  Even  in  the 
softening  moonlight  that  converted  everything  into 
a  melting  beauty,  it  was  possible  to  see  that  she  had 
made  a  hard  and  fast  resolve;  next  time  she  would 
have  a  picture  suit  and  keep  it  dry.  To  be  left 
alone  on  the  pier  with  the  women  while  all  the  men, 
and  Billy  Barker,  went  into  the  sea,  would  not  be 
likely  to  happen  again  to  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

Adrienne  and  Celeste  Singlee,  on  the  end  of  the 
pier,  locked  arms  and  walked  backward  until  they 
stepped  off  into  the  sea.  This  required  some  nerve 
and  hair  that  looked  well  when  sleek;  the  Singlees 
are  blessed  alike  in  each.  They  dived  from  the 
spring-board,  turned  back  somersaults,  and  were 
as  much  at  home  in  the  water  as  fish. 

Mrs.  Kapua  and  the  Commodore  swam  out  to 
the  raft,  where  they  rested,  silhouetted  against  the 
sky,  most  discreetly  far  apart. 

There  were  really  only  a  few  women  who  went 
in,  as  is  usually  the  case  at  bathing  parties — Mrs. 
Kapua,  Mrs.  Chandler,  Elsie  Stowe,  the  Singlee 
girls,  and  I ;  the  rest  watched  us  from  the  pier  and 
declared  it  was  all  very  fine  while  it  lasted  but  too 
much  bother  to  get  dressed  again. 

The  romping,  and  diving,  the  shouts,  and  peals 


A  JEWEL'  OF  THE  SEAS 

of  laughter,  rose  above  the  murmur  of  the  surf, 
and  the  splash  of  the  waves  on  the  beach,  until  those 
left  on  shore  laughed  from  very  sympathy.  The 
water  was  so  warm  that  we  stayed  in  longer  than 
usual,  but  at  last  we  reluctantly  came  out,  and  one 
dripping  figure  after  another  sought  the  bath- 
houses. 

We  found  cocktails  and  caviare  awaiting  us,  and 
a  delicious  supper  followed.  Every  one  was  hungry 
after  the  swim,  and  while  we  were  enjoying  salads 
and  sandwiches,  Frank  recalled  to  my  mind  a 
similar  function  given  by  the  Fenwicks  last  moon, 
on  a  damp  south  wind  night,  when  the  water  was 
cold  and  the  refreshments  were  iced  lemonade  and 
watermelons;  it  was  the  wise  ones  who  had  re- 
frained on  that  occasion,  for  even  Christian  Science 
could  not  withstand  "  a  claim  "  so  sure  to  ensue. 

During  one  of  the  rare  pauses  in  the  chatting 
about  the  lanai,  Mrs.  Mitchell  started  to  tell  Hugo 
Basilton  how  much  she  had  enjoyed  his  books  and 
while  he  was  beaming  on  her,  she  went  on  to  say  that 
she  did  not  see  how  any  one  man  could  accomplish 
so  much  work.  She  mentioned  a  couple  of  her 
favorites,  but  although  it  was  true  they  were  writ- 
ten by  one  man,  Hugo  Basilton  was  not  the  man. 
And  judging  by  his  expression,  the  author  of  them 
was  not  in  his  class^ 

It  was  a  painful  moment  to  the  rest  of  us,  though 
perhaps  a  proud  one  to  Hugo  Basilton,  when  he 
disclaimed  the  authorship  of  the  books.  Mrs. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  155 

Mitchell  was  one  of  the  best-hearted  women  in  the 
world,  and  no  one  ever  stayed  out  of  patience  with 
her;  she  always  explained  her  little  mistakes  as  the 
result  of  her  absent-minded  moments,  and  this 
seemed  to  mollify  even  Hugo  Basilton. 

Seeing  that  he  had  the  attention  of  most  of  us, 
he  looked  ready  to  talk  about  his  literary  produc- 
tions and  opened  his  mouth,  no  doubt  to  do  so,  but 
Mrs.  Mitchell  interposed  by  turning  to  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton and  asking  her  if  she  had  shaken  out  the  gown 
she  had  been  wearing  when  she  lost  her  sunburst, 
as  it  might  easily  have  got  caught  in  the  laces. 

Mrs.  Thornton  assured  her  that  she  had  not 
only  shaken  the  gown,  but  had  also  turned  it  inside 
out  to  examine  the  lining. 

Mrs.  Kapua  said  she  was  going  to  institute  a 
still  more  thorough  search,  and  that  hope  was  not 
to  be  given  up  yet,  by  any  means. 

Hugo  Basilton  said  the  circumstances  would 
make  a  good  foundation  for  a  plot  and  he  trusted 
that  some  one  would  write  him  the  real  conclusion 
so  that  he  might  see  if  his  own,  from  the  imagina- 
tion entirely,  would  not  be  more  convincing. 

The  Commodore  said  the  author  would  certainly 
have  a  charming  heroine  to  start  the  story. 

And  Mrs.  Basilton,  in  an  elaborate  "  tub  gown  " 
that  without  doubt  would  never  be  put  in  a  tub,  said 
a  heroine  in  a  French  costume  was  a  beginning 
that  was  sure  to  appeal. 

In  fact  every  one  was  interested  in  the  mystery 


156  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

surrounding  the  lost  pin,  and  Mrs.  Mitchell  related 
a  wonderful  tale  about  an  emerald  she  had  lost 
and  how  it  was  found  again  after  a  whole  day  of 
agonized  searching.  At  the  end,  it  appeared  that 
the  emerald,  instead  of  having  been  replaced  in  its 
case,  as  usual,  had  lain  on  her  dressing  table,  hid- 
den from  view  by  a  handkerchief  that  had  been 
carelessly  thrown  over  it. 

The  conversation  began  to  drift  away  from  the 
general  discussion,  and  it  was  getting  so  late  that 
we  left  as  soon  as  supper  was  over. 

I  asked  Elsie  Stowe  to  drive  home  with  us,  as 
she  lived  quite  near,  and  while  she  and  Frank 
talked,  I  lay  back  in  my  corner  sleepily,  with  hazy 
thoughts  of  the  Commodore  and  his  mislaid  bath- 
ing suit,  and  of  Mrs.  Kapua's  fascinating  ways. 


XII. 

I  FELT  sorry  -for  Mrs.  Thornton ;  she  seemed  so 
distressed  about  her  lost  pin.  She  had  invited  the 
Hugo  Basiltons  to  go  to  the  Volcano  with  her,  and 
she  declared  that  her  whole  trip  would  be  spoiled 
and  she  would  give  anything  to  be  able  to  back  out. 
They  were  to  sail  the  next  day  and  there  was  no 
hope  of  her  sunburst  being  found  before  then. 

"  It  is  not  only  the  value  of  the  stones,"  she  said 
to  me,  with  her  eyes  full  of  tears,  "  but  George  gave 
it  to  me  when  baby  came;  and  then — then — and 
after — I  couldn't  wear  it  at  first,  but  now  it  seems 
like  a  memory  of  her  pure,  bright  little  life.  We 
both  of  us  love  it.  I'd  rather  have  lost  anything 
else,  every  jewel  I  possess!  " 

"  It  will  be  found,"  I  said,  trying  to  console  her. 
"  You  are  so  concerned  about  it  that  you  don't 
look  at  it  from  a  reasonable  point  of  view.  How 
can  it  be  gone  forever  when  it  is  somewhere  in  that 
house?" 

"  The  servants  ? "  suggested  Mrs.  Thornton 
doubtfully. 

"  Nonsense,"  I  interrupted  firmly.  "  You  know 
she  has  had  them  for  years  and  they  are  per- 
fectly honest.  Moreover  there  is  not  one  of  them 
who  would  know  the  value  of  the  jewels.  And  how 
could  they  dispose  of  them  here  in  Honolulu?  If 
they  tried  to  sell  them,  they  would  at  once  be  found 
out." 

157 


158  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  That's  true,"  murmured  Mrs.  Thornton,  more 
brightly.  "  I  won't  give  up  hope  yet.  Mrs.  Kapua 
will  be  at  the  Mitchells'  this  afternoon ;  maybe  she 
will  have  good  news  for  me  then ;  she  may  be  wait- 
ing to  tell  me  herself  instead  of  telephoning." 

The  Mitchells  were  going  to  open  their  new 
driveway  in  the  afternpon,  and  we  were  to  be  there 
at  about  five.  The  garden  was  beautiful  as  we 
drove  up,  for  the  Mitchells  made  a  specialty  of 
flowering  trees  and  vines;  it  seemed  as  if  they  had 
all  bloomed  for  the  occasion,  or  as  if  the  occasion 
was  because  of  the  bloom.  The  golden  shower  hung 
in  gorgeous  yellow  branches,  the  poinciana  trees,  like 
huge  umbrellas,  shaded  us  with  tropical  crimson 
clusters,  so  thick  that  one  could  scarce  see  any 
green,  and  farther  along  riotous  vines  of  magenta 
bougainvillasa  climbed  over  an  arbor  that  led  to  the 
house.  Brilliant  crotons  edged  the  driveway,  and 
branching  banana  and  palm  trees  were  scattered 
about  the  wide  stretches  of  lawn. 

From  one  side  of  the  open  gate  to  the  other  was 
tied  a  thick,  heavy  rope  of  pink  carnations,  and 
every  one  came  in  by  the  foot-path  near  by.  A  Jcoa 
table  under  the  shade  of  the  poincianas  down  by  the 
gate  held  a  larg^  punch-bowl  and  glasses;  near  it 
was  a  big  tub  of  ice  filled  with  bottles  of  cham- 
pagne. A  group  of  pretty  little  Japanese  maids  in 
their  Jcimonos,  with  specially  striking  obis  for  the 
festive  occasion,  stood  back  of  the  punch-bowl  and 
lent  a  picturesque  touch  of  Japan. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  159 

At  about  half-past  five  a  shrill  shriek  from 
a  siren  was  heard,  followed  by  whistles  and  tooting 
of  horns,  and  along  sped  a  big  motor,  followed  by  a 
couple  of  others  close  behind.  Through  the  pink 
lei  dashed  the  heavy  car  that  led,  scattering  the 
flowers  to  right  and  left,  and  from  its  interior  the 
Mitchell  children,  with  shouts  of  glee,  flung  a  pro- 
fusion of  carnations  which  fell  amongst  us,  a 
shower  of  spicy  sweetness.  In  the  next  car  were  the 
Singlee  girls,  Ashton  Waller,  and  Teddy  Skelton. 
They  were  in  white,  with  pink  leis  about  their  necks 
and  hats.  Following  them  closely  were  Commodore 
and  Mrs.  Chandler,  with  Billy  Barker.  She  wore 
a  big  picture  hat  and  a  gown  that  deepened  and 
paled  into  exquisite  tints  of  pink,  and  as  she  de- 
scended from  the  car, — after  the  motors  had  gone 
the  length  of  the  winding  drive,  and  back  again, — 
she  looked  like  a  lovely  rose. 

Amidst  the  tooting  of  horns,  the  shrieks  of  the 
siren,  and  the  popping  of  champagne  corks,  the 
occupants  of  the  cars  alighted  and  were  greeted 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchell.  In  a  few  moments  trays 
filled  with  glasses  of  champagne  were  handed  around 
by  the  Japanese  maids. 

"  Here's  to  the  new  road !  "  said  the  Commodore, 
stepping  forward  and  raising  his  glass.  "  May  it 
lead  to  happiness !  " 

"Prosit!"  cried  Billy  Barker.  "Me  for  the 
new  road,  for  it  never  could  be  the  straight  and  nar- 
row path." 


160  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

This  certainly  was  a  tribute  to  the  broad,  wind- 
ing driveway  of  which  the  Mitchells  were  so  proud. 

As  the  Commodore  turned  toward  the  table  to 
put  down  his  glass,  Mrs.  Mitchell  stepped  forward 
with  Dr.  Russell,  who  had  just  come  in  that  morn- 
ing on  his  way  to  San  Francisco.  Dr.  Russell  was 
one  of  our  boys,  who  had  accepted  a  position  as 
ship's  doctor,  on  account  of  his  health,  and  had  been 
travelling  back  and  forth  on  one  of  the  Marus  for 
the  past  year. 

"  Let  me  introduce  Dr.  Russell,"  she  began. 
"  Dr.  Russell,  Mr. " 

"  Oh,  I've  met  Mr.  St.  Claire  before,"  said  Dr. 
Russell. 

"  Beg  pardon,"  said  the  Commodore  coldly. 
"  I  really  haven't  the  pleasure." 

He  took  off  his  hat  and  wiped  his  forehead 
leisurely. 

Dr.  Russell  looked  up  with  a  puzzled  glance. 
"  Perhaps  I've  made  a  mistake,"  he  said  slowly.  "  I 
mistook  you  for  a  chap  I  met  at  the  United  Club 
in  Yokohama." 

"  So  sorry, — I  don't  recall  you,"  said  the  Com- 
modore, and  he  turned  abruptly  away. 

And  as  he  did  so,  the  lei  he  wore  around  his  neck 
swung  and  caught  in  the  button  of  Dr.  Russell's 
coat.  With  a  smothered  oath,  the  Commodore 
jerked  backward;  his  lips  were  drawn  tight,  show- 
ing his  teeth  in  an  ugly  snarl.  His  expression 
was  not  pleasant;  he  did  not  look  as  though  bound 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  161 

by  so  light  a  tie  as  a  floral  wreath.  It  held  for  a 
moment  and  then  parted,  and  the  loosened  petals  of 
the  flowers  fell  in  a  shower  at  his  feet. 

My !  what  a  temper  he  had !  I  glanced  at  Mrs. 
Chandler;  she  was  biting  her  lip  and  looked  an- 
noyed— or  nervous.  Neither  of  the  men  spoke, 
but  after  an  awkward  moment  the  Commodore, 
with  a  slight  bow,  moved  away. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  is  not  here,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton, 
joining  us.  "  I  wonder  why?  " 

"  She  telephoned  me  she  had  a  bad  headache 
and  could  not  come,"  replied  Mrs.  Mitchell. 

"  Will  you  go  there  with  me  in  the  morning?  " 
Mrs.  Thornton  asked  me.  "  I'll  just  have  time 
before  we  sail.  I  have  an  idea  that  I  may  have 
dropped  my  pin  in  one  of  those  tall  calabashes.  We 
were  talking  and  laughing,  and  might  not  have 
noticed,  particularly  if  there  was  anything  in  the 
bottom  that  might  have  deadened  the  sound.  It's 
too  late  to  drive  there  this  afternoon,  but  if  you'll 
go  there  with  me  in  the  morning " 

"  Of  course  I  will !  "  I  declared  heartily. 

Mrs.  Mitchell  bustled  off  to  order  more  cham- 
pagne, and  Mrs.  Thornton's  attention  was  claimed 
by  Hugo  Basilton,  who  had  sauntered  in  a  little 
late,  with  an  absorbed  air,  and  a  toss  of  the  coal 
black  lock  from  his  brow. 

His  wife  had  come  before  him  and  she  explained 
that  Hugo  had  felt  so  inspired  by  the  moonlight, 
and  the  music,  of  the  night  before,  that  he  had 
11 


162  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

waited  to  jot  down  a  few  notes,  while  he  was  in  the 
mood.  She  said  the  native  boys  played  "  Aloha  Oe  " 
quite  touchingly,  but  that  Hugo's  description  of  it 
made  the  tears  come  to  her  eyes. 

Mrs.  Spotfield,  who  had  come  with  her,  had 
allowed  Billy  Barker  to  greet  his  hostess ;  but  that 
was  all.  After  that,  he  was  hers.  Mrs.  Chandler 
was  helpless  in  the  face  of  a  determination  so  strong, 
and  a  strategy  worthy  of  a  general. 

When  Billy  had  stepped  forward,  held  his  glass 
on  high,  and  proposed  a  toast,  Mrs.  Spotfield  had 
not  caught  hold  of  his  coat-tails  and  hauled  him 
back ;  but  she  had  got  him  just  the  same.  And  they 
had  gone  for  a  saunter  under  the  golden  shower 
trees.  The  yellow  was  more  becoming  to  Mrs. 
Spotfield's  blonde  prettiness  than  the  magentas  and 
the  crimsons,  of  the  bougainvillaea  and  the  poin- 
ciana  regia,  which  were  far  too  brilliant  for  her. 

Adrienne  and  Celeste  had  separated  into  tete-a 
tetes  and  individual  effort,  to  the  undoing  of  Ashton 
and  Teddy. 

The  telephone  was  ringing  insistently  from  the 
house,  in  the  distance;  no  one  seemed  to  notice  it, 
however,  and  after  a  moment,  I  went  up  to  Mrs. 
Mitchell  and  asked  her  if  I  should  answer  it  for  her. 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  dear,"  she  said.  "  If  you  don't 
mind.  And  if  it  is  for  me,  take  the  message,  or  just 
send  one  of  the  Japs  down  to  tell  me." 

I  hurried  off,  as  the  telephone  bell  broke  into  a 
steady  ring. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  163 

"  Hello !  Hello !  "  I  cried  somewhat  breathlessly, 
as  I  took  the  receiver  from  the  hook. 

"  Mrs.  Mitchell's  house?  "  asked  a  musical  voice, 
unmistakably  Mrs.  Kaupa's.  "  Please  ask  Com- 
modore Chandler  to  come  to  the  telephone.  Tell  him 
the  Moana  Hotel  wants  him." 

"  Hold  the  line,"  I  replied  in  a  business-like  tone, 
and  I  went  to  hunt  up  one  of  the  Japs. 

"  You  know  Commodore  Chandler  ?  "  I  asked. 
66  Yes,  tall  gentleman.  You  go  tell  him  come  tele- 
phone, mki  tviki  "  (quick). 

The  Jap  flew,  and  as  the  Commodore  came  in 
the  front  door  I  went  out  the  back. 

"  It  was  for  the  Commodore,"  I  explained  to 
Mrs.  Mitchell  as  I  joined  the  party  on  the  lawn 
again. 

In  a  few  moments  he  returned  to  us.  "  I'm  so 
sorry,  Mrs.  Mitchell,"  he  said,  "  I  shall  have  to  go. 
Captain  Jeffreys  has  telephoned  me  from  the  Gelda, 
and  I  shall  have  to  get  on  board  at  once.  I'm  not 
going  to  hurry  Mrs.  Chandler  off,  though;  Barker 
can  bring  her  down  later." 

He  took  his  leave,  and  after  a  few  words  with 
Mrs.  Chandler  jumped  into  one  of  the  automobiles 
and  speeded  away  as  though  the  Gelda  were  about 
to  sink  into  the  sea  and  needed  him  to  save  her. 


XIII. 

IN  the  morning,  soon  after  breakfast,  as  Mrs. 
Thornton  was  going  to  sail  for  the  Volcano  at  noon, 
we  started  for  Mrs.  Kapua's  house,  and  when  we 
drove  up,  she  came  to  the  head  of  the  steps. 

"  Aloha,"  she  called.    "  Come  right  in." 

As  she  stood,  framed  in  the  thick,  trailing  vines, 
in  her  red  holoku  of  some  soft,  clinging,  silky 
fabric,  a  single  hibiscus  flaming  against  her  dark 
hair,  she  looked  like  a  beautiful,  big  hibiscus  blos- 
som herself,  blooming  alone  amidst  the  cool,  green 
leaves,  as  if  all  the  other  flowers  had  lavished  their 
beauty  on  her,  and  gone. 

"  We  have  not  found  it  eh,"  she  began  at  once. 
"I  have  searched  the  calabashes  myself ;  but  they  are 
empty,  absolutely  empty.  The  entire  house,  you 
might  say,  has  been  turned  upside  down,  and  inside 
out.  The  rugs  have  been  shaken,  most  of  the  furni- 
ture has  been  airing  on  the  lawn ;  every  corner  has 
been  swept  out.  If  we  only  had  yearly  house  clean- 
ings, here  in  Hawaii — but  as  we  do  not,  even  that 
has  not  been  accomplished."  Mrs.  Kapua's  gesture 
told  more  plainly  than  her  words  that  she  had 
given  up  the  search,  at  last. 

"  Oh  dear,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton  plaintively. 
"  And  all  your  trouble !  It  is  too  bad  really." 

"  The  trouble  is  nothing ;  don't  think  of  it  for  a 
moment.  I  would  gladly  do  anything  on  earth; 
nothing  could  be  too  much  trouble !  Have  you  any- 

164 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  165 

thing  to  suggest?  Would  you  like  to  have  the  piano 
tuner  come?  The  piano  is  the  only  place  left  and 
I  have  heard  of  jewelry  being  dropped  inside " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  Nonsense ; 
why  the  piano  was  not  even  open  that  evening. 
You're  awfully  good, — there's  nothing  more  to  be 
done  on  your  part.  It  is  still  possible  that  the  pin 
may  turn  up ;  perhaps  when  least  expected.  In  the 
meantime,  you  must  not  bother  any  more ; — please." 

Mrs.  Kapua  shook  her  head.  "  No,"  she  said. 
"  No,  that  won't  do.  I  am  going  to  follow  this 
matter  up.  I  shall  find  out  who  took  your  sun- 
burst. It  was  stolen  in  my  house,  and  I  shall  make 
it  my  business  to  find  the  thief." 

"  Stolen,"  I  repeated.     "  The  thief " 

"  But  who — how "  cried  Mrs.  Thornton. 

66  The  sunburst  was  in  your  hair  when  you  went 
inside  to  look  at  my  calabashes.  You  were  alone 
with  Commodore  Chandler  and  Frank  Alden.  When 
you  came  out,  it  was  no  longer  in  your  hair." 

"  But,"  began  Mrs.  Thornton,  after  a  moment, 
breaking  in  on  the  tense  silence,  "but  if  it  cannot 
be  found,  what  is  the  difference  when  it  was  lost?  " 

"  It  was  not  lost,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  Not 
lost,  but  taken ;  as  I  said  before, — stolen." 

I  felt  the  blood  rush  to  my  head  and  then  recede ; 
my  very  lips  felt  cold  and  stiff;  my  heart  beat 
almost  to  suffocation. 

"  I  would  stake  my  life  on  Frank  Alden's  hon- 
esty ! "  said  Mrs.  Thornton ;  her  voice  trembled. 


166  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Why  of  course  eh,"  Mrs.  Kapua  rejoined 
calmly ;  her  smile  was  sweet  and  lazy.  "  And,"  she 
added,  with  slow  emphasis,  "  and  Commodore 
Chandler's  position,  and  wealth,  raise  him  above  the 
need  of  a  defender." 

My  eyes  met  hers.  Her  glance  was  cold,  im- 
placable. 

Commodore  Chandler  was  her  latest — and  Frank 
had  resisted  Mrs.  Kapua's  fascinations  in  the  past. 
Perhaps  he  was  the  only  "  town  boy  "  whom  first, 
last,  and  always,  she  had  never  been  able  to  bring 
beneath  her  sway.  And  Mrs.  Kapua  had  tried ;  she 
had  started  maybe  idly,  in  an  unoccupied  moment, 
but  failing  then,  she  had  not  stopped;  in  one  way, 
or  another,  she  had  exerted  herself  to  secure  Frank's 
attentions.  Whether  because  of  a  real  interest  in 
him,  or  through  her  desire  for  conquest,  it  was 
impossible  to  know,  but  no  matter  what  her  reason, 
she  was  not  used  to  failure.  It  reflected  not  only 
on  her  established  reputation  for  winning  in  love, 
but  on  her  kahuna  domination  as  well.  Success 
meant  more  to  her  than  to  other  women ;  and  Frank 
had  not  succumbed.  Was  this  revenge  ?  There  was 
no  doubt  that  Mrs.  Kapua  could  hate. 

"  I  believe  that  I  can  trace  the  guilt,"  she  said 
confidently.  "  Suppose  we  let  the  matter  rest  for 
a  while,  that  is  apparently.  Leave  it  in  my  hands, 
will  you  ?  " 

"  Why  yes.  Yes  indeed,"  agreed  Mrs.  Thornton. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  167 

"  I  accuse  no  one,"  resumed  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  Not 
even  in  my  own  mind.  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  sift 
the  matter,  and  I  am  going  to  do  it.  It  is  time  to 
put  a  stop  to  all  this  talk  and  gossip.  I  may  not 
discover  the  thief  in  a  moment  eh;  but  it  will  not 
take  me  long." 

The  rest  of  the  conversation  was  a  blank  to  me. 
I  saw  nothing  but  the  red  gown, — the  kahuna  red; 
and  its  brilliancy  meant  power. 

When  we  drove  off,  I  had  not  opened  my  lips 
again,  except  to  say  good-by. 

"  She  intends  to  find  the  culprit  through  her 
Jcahuna  powers,"  I  said  to  Mrs.  Thornton,  when  I 
could  speak.  "  In  other  words,  whether  she  is  a 
Jcahuna  or  not,  she  has  the  reputation,  and  she  can 
influence  many  of  the  natives.  It  isn't  the  natives 
alone,  either,  who  believe  that  Mrs.  Kapua  is  a 
Jcahuna.  Even  Mrs.  Fenwick,  being  superstitious, 
went  to  her  when  she  lost  her  ring.  If  she  decides 
to  ruin  Frank,  she  can !  She  dare  not  accuse  him 
openly,  but  she  can  injure  him  with  her  innuendoes, 
backed  by  her  reputed  power." 

"  But  why  should  she  try  to  injure  Frank?  Do 
you  suppose  she  is  actually  smitten  with  Commo- 
dore Chandler  and  is  afraid  that  he  might  be  sus- 
pected  " 

"  No,  not  that  of  course,"  I  interrupted  some- 
what impatiently.  "  I  mean,  no  one  could  suspect 
so  wealthy  a  man.  But  she  is  trying  to  implicate 
Frank ;  nothing  could  be  more  evident  than  that." 


1168  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Thornton  laughed  at  me  and  tried  to  reas- 
sure me ;  but  she  was  plainly  troubled. 

"  I  must  say  that  this  has  happened  at  an  unfor- 
tunate time,"  she  admitted  at  last.  "  Frank  has 
talked  hard  times  so  gloomily  of  late.  Of  course  we 
— all  his  friends — understand.  Now  I  am  going 
to  ask  you  a  plain  question:  are  you  and  Frank 
engaged?  " 

"  No !  "  I  answered  emphatically. 

"  I  was  going  to  suggest  that  now  would  be  a 
splendid  time  for  you  to  announce  it.  Your  father's 
position  in  the  Islands,  his  well-known  integrity, 
would  make  the  announcement  of  his  daughter's 
engagement  equivalent  to  a  guarantee  of  his  belief 
in  her  lover.  Such  a  proof  of  trust  given  to  the 
public  now  would  be  enough  to  avert  the  possibility 
of  suspicion;  and  suspicion  is  an  ugly  thing  when 
once  aroused.  Of  course  I  know  the  state  of  affairs 
between  you  two,  or  I  would  not  say  all  this.  I  know 
that  for  five  years,  at  least,  Frank " 

"  But  what 's  the  difference  what  you  may  sur- 
mise ?  "  I  cried.  "  It  is  politeness  to  wait  until  you 
are  asked.  Please  don't  say  any  more  about  it ;  no 
girl  has  a  right  to  believe  that  a  man  loves  her  until 
he  tells  her  so." 

"Oh  bosh!"  cried  Mrs.  Thornton.  "I'd  be 
mighty  sorry  for  the  woman  who  did  not  have  sense 
enough  to  know  when  a  man  cares  for  her.  Who 
waits  for  a  proposal  in  this  enlightened  age!  We 
may  seem  to,  and  we  say  we  do.  perhaps  believe  we 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  169 

do,  and  any  way  we  make  the  men  think  we  do — • 
but  we  all  help  along  a  lot." 

I  laughed. 

"  In  this  case  you  know  as  well  as  I  do  that 
Frank  is  only  waiting  to  see  his  way  clear.  I  never 
gave  it  much  thought  before — oh,  what  a  fool  a 
man  is  to  wait  for  money " 

"  Chivalrous  perhaps,"  I  interposed. 

"  I  call  it  plain  fool,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton. 
"  Luckily  we  women  were  given  intuition  and  thank 
goodness  for  that  small  favor.  But  where  is  yours  ? 
And  where,  oh  where,  is  my  beautiful  diamond  sun- 
burst ?  If  we  could  only  find  that !  It  is  too  absurd 
to  speak  of  Frank  being  connected  in  any  way  with 
this  loss;  the  idea  of  harboring  such  a  ridiculous 
thought!" 

"  It  is  just  as  ridiculous  to  suspect  Commodore 
Chandler." 

"  More  so,"  assented  Mrs.  Thornton  amiably. 

And  neither  of  us  spoke  again. 

"  What — what  do  you  suppose  she  meant  by 
saying  that  it  was  time  to  put  a  stop  to  the  talk 
and  gossip  ?  "  I  asked  at  last. 

"  I  was  thinking  of  that,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton, 
"  but  there  was  nothing  in  that,  after  all.  You  know 
yourself  that  every  one  has  been  discussing  the  whole 
matter,  and  the  pros  and  cons  of  it.  But,  I  have 
been  thinking  of  something  else  too;  and  I  want  to 
.give  you  a  piece  of  advice.  Even  if  Mrs.  Kapua 
did  say  that  the  pin  was  stolen,  and  did  mean  tp 


170  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

imply  that  Frank  would  be  the  more  likely  of  the 
two  men  to  be  guilty,  and  that  there  was  no  one  else 
to  take  it  except  one  of  them,  we  must  pretend 
to  ignore  the  suggestion,  not  to  understand  it.  We 
must  be  absolutely  oblivious  to  any  innuendoes.  She 
caught  me  unawares  that  time,  or  I  would  not  have 
said  so  much.  Above  all,  never  let  Frank  dream 
that  Mrs.  Kapua  attempted  any  insinuations  against 
him.  Men  are  so  short-sighted;  talk  about  the 
impetuosity  of  women;  they  are  born  diplomats  in 
comparison  with  men.  Frank  would  be  likely  to  go 
to  Mrs.  Kapua  and  demand  an  explanation,  and  get 
her  down  on  him  in  earnest.  So,  don't  let  him 
suspect,  on  any  account." 

"  I  won't.  He  must  never  know ;  I  see  that." 
"  I  am  sorry  I  ever  took  you  there,  and  I'm  sorry 
I  am  going  off  to  the  Volcano;  but  it  will  be  only 
for  a  week,  or  so,  and  you'll  see, — everything  will 
brighten  up  for  you  and  Frank.  It's  sure  to,  so 
promise  me  not  to  worry."  Mrs.  Thornton  put 
her  arm  around  me.  "  Mrs.  Kapua  is  all  right  at 
heart.  And  no  one  could  harm  Frank  in  this  com- 
munity. You  know  that." 

"  Ye-es,  I  know.  I  suppose  I  know." 
"  Well,  I  must  leave  you ;  I  have  a  few  last 
things  to  put  in  my  bag;  good-by,  dear.  No,  I 
won't  be  sea  sick,  but  I  suppose  Mrs.  Basilton  will, 
and  her  blessings  on  my  head  will  be  doubtful  ones. 
But,  at  least,  we  will  have  an  active  Volcano  in 
Hugo's  next  novel." 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  171 

I  was  too  subdued  to  pursue  this  subject,  and  I 
went  home  to  lunch. 

But  I  could  not  eat;  I  could  not  even  pretend, 
although  I  was  conscious  of  Tumi's  watchful  eye 
upon  me. 

Tumi  has  been  with  me  ever  since  I  was  a  tiny 
baby.  She  came  as  nurse,  but  she  has  developed 
into  housekeeper,  companion,  friend — Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton always  adds :  "  and  boss."  Tumi  is  of  the  very 
best  class  of  well-trained,  old,  Japanese  servant, 
rare  to-day  in  Hawaii  because  so  sought  after  are 
they  that  they  soon  amass  what  is  a  fortune  in 
their  own  country  and  return  there  to  enjoy  a  life 
of  ease.  But  Tumi  would  never  leave  me,  so  she  has 
remained  to  make  me  the  envy  of  all  who  know  her 
worth. 

She  wears  irreproachable  kimonos,  staid  in  color- 
ing and  handsome  in  material,  and  she  scorns  the 
bright  obis,  and  various  distractions  of  attire  of  the 
larger  part  of  feminine  Japanese-Hawaii.  She 
guards  my  position  in  society  jealously  and  had 
started,  when  I  was  of  a  very  tender  age,  to  steer 
me  away  from  undesirable  playmates.  I  loved  her 
kind,  old,  ugly  face  and  fought  her,  and  rebelled  at 
her  authority,  and  relied  on  her  common-sense  abso- 
lutely, as  I  do  to-day.  Tumi  is  not  a  snob,  although 
she  has  a  great  idea  of  class  distinction,  but  her  dis- 
crimination goes  deeper  than  that,  and  her  disap- 
proval is  never  idly  spoken.  "  She  no  your  kind," 
she  would  say  to  me  with  a  disdain  that  was  con- 


173  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

vincing,  and  sooner  or  later,  I  would  find  that  Tumi 
was  correct  in  her  judgment. 

Tumi  likes  Frank ;  she  has  decided  that  he  is 
almost  good  enough  for  me,  and  she  has  accepted 
him.  When  she  came  in  after  lunch  and  found  me 
crying,  she  said  with  some  severity: 

"  What  a  matta?    You  fight  sweet  man?  " 

Tumi  never  could  quite  get  sweetheart. 

"  No,  no,"  I  said.    "  I  no  fight." 

Reassured,  Tumi  began  to  soothe  me  in  her 
kindly  way ;  she  patted  me  gently  on  the  back,  and 
crooned  over  me  as  she  used  to  do  when  I  was  a 
small  child. 

"  Pilikia,  pil-i-kia9  plenty  pilikia"  she  repeated, 
over  and  over. 

"  No  pilikia,"  I  sobbed.  "  Me  very  silly."  And 
I  wept  on. 

Tumi  continued  to  pat  me  on  the  back,  murmur- 
ing all  the  while,  and  at  last  she  began  to  vary  the 
monotony. 

"  Pan,  pan,  by'n'by  no  pilikia;  pan."  * 

Under  this  soothing  influence,  I  wiped  my  eyes 
and  tried  to  think  the  situation  over  calmly.  Tumi 
waited,  patting  me  tenderly. 

We  had  drifted  along,  Frank  and  I,  through  the 
lazy,  thoughtless,  happy  hours,  content  in  the  pres- 
ent, and  with  little  thought  for  the  future.  It  is  a 
way  we  all  acquire  in  Hawaii  nei.  As  Frank  has 
so  often  said :  "  We  blame  it  on  the  climate,  but 
when  we  blame  the  natives,  we  forget  the  excuse." 

*  "  Stop,  stop,  by  and  by  no  trouble ;  stop." 


WHAT  WOULD  YOU  DO  IF  YOU  LOVED  A  GIRL  AND  THAT  GIRL  WAS 
IN  DANGER  ?  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  173 

But  now,  brought  face  to  face  with  danger,  I  knew 
that  the  ideal  had  vanished  and  we  must  meet  the 
real. 

"  No  pilikia,"  said  Tumi  softly,  "  by'n'by  you 
mally  him." 

"  He  no  got  very  much  money,  Tumi ;  he  say  no 
can." 

"  By'n'by  all  light,"  answered  Tumi  with  convic- 
tion. "  He  good  lawyer  man ;  everybody  say  so ; 
he  got  plenty  sweetbreads,  he  sure  make  money." 

I  laughed,  for  I  had  heard  Tumi  use  sweet- 
breads for  brains  before,  a  slight  misunderstanding 
between  her  and  the  butcher  being  responsible  for 
this  little  mistake  in  anatomy,  or  perhaps  only  in 
the  language.  Tumi,  encouraged  by  my  brightened 
aspect,  added  hopefully: 

"  No  got  much  money  no  good,  but  good  inside 
more  better." 

And  with  this  philosophic  reflection,  she  gave  me 
a  parting  pat,  and  left  me. 

When  Frank  came  in,  after  dinner,  I  began 
abruptly : 

"  What  would  you  do  if  you  loved  a  girl,  and 
that  girl  was  in  danger  ?  " 

"  I  should  try  to  save  her." 

"  But  if  the  danger  only  threatened?  " 

"  I  should  try  to  protect  her." 

"  Well,  if  you  were  a  girl  and  the  man  you  loved 
were  threatened  with  disgrace,  then  what  would 
you  do  ?  " 


174  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  I'd  use  my  tongue." 

"  But  if  your  tongue  were  not  long  enough  to 
reach?" 

"  It  would  be  long  enough  if  I  loved." 

"  Then  if  it  were  tied ;  if  the  man  had  not  cared 
enough  for  you  to  tell  you  so,  and  you  had  no  right 
to  go  around  defending  him — then  what?  " 

"Then  I'd  give  up!" 

"  Ah,  there's  the  injustice  of  it !  "  I  cried.  "  A 
girl  can't  half  live ;  she  has  to  stifle  every  impulse, 

and  half  breathe,  half  act,  half  think,  half  talk " 

I  choked. 

"  'Tis  true,"  said  Frank  calmly. 

I  sprang  to  my  feet. 

"  But,"  added  Frank,  "  if  a  man  cared  for  a  girl, 
she  ought  to  know  it,  and  she  might  dare  to  act." 
I  sank  back  in  nr~  chair.  "  Of  course  you  can't 
change  the  world ;  a  girl  is  restricted  and  always  will 
be.  A  man  who  cared  for  a  girl  would  fly  from  her 
if  he  was  in  danger,  but  he'd  fly  to  her  if  danger 
threatened  her.  The  girl  who  cares  can  look  coy; 
it's  safe,  and  it's  about  all  there  is  for  her  to  do." 

"  It's  cruel !  "  I  gasped.  And  Frank  did  not 
reply. 

In  the  dark  of  the  lanai  I  clenched  my  fists,  and 
I  didn't  look  coy.  I  had  my  cue  and  I  came  on  with 
a  rush. 

"  Frank,"  I  began  solemnly,  "  if  I  were  accused 
of  stealing  Mrs.  Thornton's  diamonds " 

"  You,"  cried  Frank.    "  You!  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  175 

Words  seemed  to  fail  him. 

"  I  don't  say  it  has  come  to  that,  not  actually  to 
that,"  I  murmured  with  infinite  guile ;  "  but  if  I  were 
suspected — if  I  should  tell  you " 

Frank  began  to  pace  up  and  down  the  lanai;  this 
was  encouraging. 

"  Impossible !  "  he  exclaimed.    "  Preposterous !  " 

"  Listen  to  what  might  be,"  I  interposed. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  is  proud  of  being  a  kahuna,  as 
you  know.  It  gives  her  a  position  among  the 
natives  almost  equal  to  that  of  a  queen.  On  her 
birthday,  she  holds  a  regular  little  court;  at  all 
times,  she  is  a  leader.  She  loves  power,  and  she 
does  not  intend  to  lose  her  prestige.  If  she  is  a 
kahuna,  she  ought  to  be  able  to  trace  the  sunburst, 
lost  in  her  own  house  and  therefore  her  special  in- 
terest to  recover.  She  cannot  find  it;  to  gain  time, 
she  has  to  say  it  was  stolen  and  that  she  will,  in  due 
season,  show  up  the  thief.  Of  course,  later,  she  can 
say  that  the  matter  must  be  hushed  up.  But  mean- 
while she  will  have  placed  suspicion  on  some  one. 
Now,  as  you  must  be  aware,  Mrs.  Kapua  does  not 
like  me " 

"  No,"  interrupted  Frank,  "  I  had  no  idea ;  I 
thought  she  was  a  friend." 

"  Outwardly  she  is.  Men  are  so  unobservant 
though — a  woman  would  know.  She  will  never  for- 
give me  because  you  have  shown  that  you  like  me 
more  than  you  do  her." 

This  was  certainly  the  truth,  although  perhaps 
it  worked  two  ways. 


176  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  But  she  cares  nothing  for  me,  not  a  snap  of 
her  finger.  She " 

"That  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it. 
Whether  she  does  like  you,  or  whether  she  does  not, 
she  would  never  forgive  any  woman  who  was  pre- 
ferred to  herself.  Frank,  surely  you  know  that. 
In  her  heart,  she  would  hate  that  woman.  And  now, 
perhaps,  she  has  'found  a  way  to  do  me  harm " 

I  waited  for  Frank  to  digest  this.  And  if  walk- 
ing a  mile  or  so  a  minute  was  conducive  to  digestion, 
I  certainly  might  venture  to  proceed.  I  recalled 
one  incident  of  Mrs.  Kapua's  luau  after  another 
which  could  be  construed  into  evidence  against  my- 
self, j  oining  them  into  quite  a  logical  whole.  Frank 
might  be  a  lawyer,  but  even  a  lawyer's  heart  may 
get  away  with  his  head.  At  any  rate,  Frank  came 
over  to  my  chair  and  took  my  hand  in  his. 

"  Give  me  the  right  to  defend  you ! "  he  cried. 
"  You  know  I  am  poor,  you  know  I  have  been  wait- 
ing until  I  could  at  least  plan  a  wedding-trip  before 
I  asked  you  to  marry  me — before  I  told  you  of  my 
love.  But  now — — " 

"  You  don't  really  love  me !  "  I  broke  in  impetu- 
ously. "  True  love  does  not  wait  to  calculate,  to 
doubt,  to  question.  Love  does  not  need  a  wedding- 
trip.  Just  to  be  with  the  one  you  care  for — that 
alone  is  enough.  On  a  desert  island  one  could  know 
infinite  content.  But  you — you  talk  of  wedding- 
trips,  the  future,  and  call  your  doubts  my  happiness. 
I — I'm  sure  you  plan  ahead  and  even  wonder  if  you 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  177 

can  afford  a  hack  for  my  wedding  calls.  Love ! 
You  don't  know  what  love  is !  Love  lets  the  future 
take  care  of  itself;  it  oversteps,  it  strides  over,  the 
bounds  of  prudence.  Love  cannot  be  argued  down, 
repressed " 

But  I  was  sobbing  it  all  out  in  Frank's  arms. 

"  Little  one,"  he  murmured.     "  Little  one !  " 

As  our  lips  met  I  knew  the  weary  months  of 
waiting,  the  tender  unselfishness,  the  disappoint- 
ments, the  hope, — the  love  that  was  strong  enough 
to  endure. 

And  Frank, — I  wondered  if  he  knew  my  soul  was 
in  that  kiss. 

In  a  few  moments  Frank  said  we  would  announce 
it  soon. 

And  I  said: 

"  We  will!  ", 


XIV. 

IT'S  a  great  thing  to  have  an  imagination.  I 
remember  asking  Adrienne  Singlee,  one  day  when 
we  were  on  our  way  to  school,  whether  she  would 
rather  have  an  imagination,  or  a  whole  half  a  pie. 
Adrienne  promptly  replied:  "  Pie."  She  was  always 
so  volatile.  I  explained  to  her  that  it  could  be 
only  one  kind  and  she  would  have  to  choose  which, 
that  the  pastry  might  be  dough,  the  filling  unsatis- 
factory, and  the  total  indigestion.  It  sounded  some- 
thing like  our  arithmetic  lesson. 

"  But,  if  you  have  an  imagination,"  I  continued, 
"  you  can  start  with  lemon  meringue,  and  have 
apple,  peach,  raspberry, — one  after  another;  you 

can  put  whipped  cream  on  top  and  take  it  off ;  you 
,, 

"  Well,  I'd  rather  have  just  pie,"  said  Adrienne 
conclusively. 

As  I  rocked  in  the  hammock,  ruby  rings,  dia- 
mond rings,  pearls,  sapphires,  all  the  jewels,  and 
all  the  combinations,  with  various  settings,  and  all 
sorts  of  designs,  in  fact  everything  I'd  ever  seen, 
or  heard  of,  or  could  think  of,  in  the  way  of  rings, 
had  adorned  the  third  finger  of  my  left  hand. 

Frank  had  telephoned  that  he  would  be  here  in 
a  few  moments.  If  he  could  know  half  the  rings  of 
my  fancy,  he  would  be  discouraged  with  any  reality. 
But  it  would  not  take  me  long  to  convince  him  that 
to  be  engaged  to  an  imagination  has  its  advantages. 

178 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  179 

For  no  matter  how  small  the  stones,  their  sparkle 
would  carry  a  new  message  each  day  to  my  heart. 
This  was  not  sentimental,  but  a  natural  sequence  of 
thought. 

Still,  I'd  bravely  got  over  any  prejudice  I  might 
once  have  had  against  the  sentimental.  And  it 
really  seems  as  if  Frank  had  too. 

"  Have  you  had  a  very  busy  day  ?  "  I  asked  him 
abruptly;  I  wanted  to  convince  him  that  my  mind 
was  not  entirely  on  his  gift,  which  perhaps  after  all 
he  had  not  brought. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  it  was  busy,  or  not,"  he 
answered  slowly.  "  I  don't  know.  I'll  tell  you 
about  it,  dear ;  it  was  a  lovely  day." 

I  glanced  up  quickly. 

"  A  day  with  you,"  he  added.  "  This  morning 
I  was  dropped  softly  in  my  office  on  a  rosy  cloud, 
where  you  and  I  had  been  floating  in  a  dream  that 
was  all  joy.  I  floated  on  the  rosy  cloud  through 
the  day,  and  you  were  always  by  my  side.  If  my 
clients,  who  tried  to  drag  me  down  to  earth,  had 
guessed  that  I  was  treading  on  air,  if  the  Judge 
had  known  that  your  dear  eyes  were  shining  on  me 
and  holding  me  spell-bound,  while  he  talked — but, 
no  one  knew,  and  no  one  cared,  and  that  was  my 
real  day  until  now,  when  the  rosy  cloud  has  floated 
me  here  to  you, — to  YOU." 

"  Oh,  Frank,"  I  murmured ;  and  I  shut  my  eyes 
against  the  lapel  of  his  coat. 

Frank  put  his  other  arm  around  me.     "  I  can't 


180  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

very  well  put  that  ring  on  your  dear,  little  hand, 
when  both  arms  are  occupied,"  he  whispered  after 
a  few  moments;  it  seemed  like  a  few. 

I  knew  that  I  ought  to  pretend  that  I'd  rather 
have  the  ring,  although  of  course  the  ring  would 
keep,  so  after  a  while,  I  said : 

"  Well,  you  can  have  one  arm."  It  sounded 
quite  like  a  new  idea. 

Naturally  it  took  some  time  to  decide  which, 
but  Frank  finally  came  to  as  satisfactory  a  conclus- 
ion as  seemed  possible  in  the  circumstances.  He 
gave  me  a  purple  velvet  box  and  stood  off  to  watch 
me  open  it. 

Inside  was  the  most  beautiful  diamond  ring  that 
ever  sealed  an  engagement  in  Honolulu,  or  perhaps 
anywhere  else  in  the  whole,  wide  world.  It  was  not 
because  it  was  mine,  not  because  Frank  had  given 
it  to  me.  There  were  three  exquisite  diamonds,  set 
with  smaller  ones,  making  a  cluster  that  was  really 
gorgeous  in  effect.  I  gasped.  My  imagination  had 
not  conjured  up  anything  like  this. 

"  Oh,  Frank,  you  extravagant " 

"  You  like  it  then !  "  he  cried. 

And  as  he  came  towards  me,  I  threw  both  my 
arms  around  his  neck.  I  couldn't  scold  him  when 
he  was  just  beaming  with  pleasure;  and  if  I  had 
a  vision  of  a  trip  to  Europe  on  the  money  the  ring 
must  have  cost,  it  was  smothered  entirely,  while  I 
was  smothered  almost. 

After  all,  we  were  in  Hawaii.    The  natives  spend 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  181 

their  week's  earnings  for  fish,  each  Saturday  night, 
without  a  thought,  or  a  care,  for  the  morrow.  We 
unconsciously  imbibe  this  happy-go-lucky  spirit. 
Frank  had  been  over-careful,  over-prudent,  but  in 
the  reaction  of  a  new-found  joy,  he  could  be  reckless. 
I  was  glad  to  give  up  the  trip  to  Europe ;  glad  that 
he  had  proved  he  could  forget  everything  but  his 
present  happiness,  and  me. 

"  But  where  did  you  get  it — such  a  beauty ! 
Oh,  Frank,  it  must  have  looked  as  if  there  were  a 
girl  in  the  background  for  you  to  be  buying  this." 

"  Trust  me,"  he  answered,  with  a  chuckle. 
"  We  will  never  be  discovered  through  it ;  I  looked 
out  for  that." 

"  It  would  be  nice  to  keep  our  engagement  a 
secret;  wouldn't  it  be  lovely,  Frank,  only  to  have 
us  know." 

"  Just  you  and  me,"  murmured  Frank. 

"  We  could  .go  on,  as  we  have  always,  and  no 
one  would  dream " 

"  No  one  would  ever  suspect " 

"  Our  own  secret,  Frank " 

"  Between  us ;  between  you  and  me ;  oh,  little 
one."  Frank's  arms  tightened  around  me  tenderly. 

I  had  always  been  sure  of  his  sympathy,  his 
understanding  of  me,  an  understanding  that  was 
sometimes  like  intuition.  It  was  not  only  that  we 
had  grown  up  together,  gone  to  school  together  as 
children.  I  had  grown  up  with  all  Honolulu,  and  I 
had  been  kept  busy  drifting  apart  ever  since,  from 


182  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

one  after  the  other,  as  years  of  discretion,  and 
discrimination,  settled  upon  me.  But  with  Frank 
it  was  different.  When  he  returned  from  college, 
we  had  fallen  into  the  old  comradeship  as  naturally 
as  though  neither  he,  nor  I,  had  ever  been  away; 
and  ever  since  it  had  been  the  same.  Was  ever 
such  perfect  accord  between  any  two  people  as 
there  was  between  Frank  and  me?  How  smooth  the 
course  of  true  love  for  us !  Frank  would  not  have 
to  tremble  when  he  asked  my  father  for  me.  How 
dreadful  it  would  have  been  if  I  had  never  known 
him.  Fancy  if  I  had  become  engaged  to  a  man  like 
the  Commodore  who  would  never  hide  his  light 
under  a  bushel,  nor  his  diamonds  under  a  sentiment. 
He  would  have  displayed  that  ring,  on  his  way  to 
give  it  to  me,  and  my  beautiful  romance  would  have 
been  shattered. 

"  I'm  glad  you  don't  want  to  announce  our  en- 
gagement," said  Frank. 

And  somehow,  when  he  said  that,  I  seemed  to 
come  back  to  earth,  and  to  meet  it  with  a  good,  hard 
bump,  too.  All  my  life  I  would  have  to  bear  alone 
the  guilty  consciousness  of  having,  myself,  brought 
Frank's  attentions  to  a  climax,  of  having,  in  a  bare- 
faced manner,  fished  for  a  proposal.  I  had  sacri- 
ficed my  dignity,  and  trodden  on  tradition.  I  had 
played  upon  the  chivalry  of  a  gentleman.  I  had 
misrepresented  deliberately,  I  had  plotted  cold- 
bloodedly. My  only  excuse  was  my  object, — and  I 
had  forgotten  it.  If  it  were  not  worthy  of  remem- 
brance, then  what  was  I? 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  183 

I  laughed  carelessly.  "  Oh,  that  was  only  play. 
Of  course  we  must  announce  it." 

"  I  don't  see  why." 

"  Here's  why."  I  held  up  my  hand  and  turned 
it  this  way,  and  that.  The  diamonds  caught  the 
light,  and  shone,  and  sparkled,  and  flashed,  with 
dazzling  brilliancy.  "Isn't  it  lovely?"  I  cried. 
"  If  we  did  not  tell,  I  couldn't  wear  this." 

"Wear  it  when  I  come,  just  for  me,  dear." 
Frank  took  my  other  hand  and  kissed  it. 

"  But,  Frank,  you  said " 

"  Never  mind  what  I  said.  I  had  not  thought 
then." 

"  I  want  to  tell  every  one,"  I  said  impetuously. 
"  I  want  every  one  to  know  how  happy  I  am ;  I 
couldn't  hide  such  happiness  as  mine." 

Oh,  the  tender  silence  of  the  next  few  moments ; 
it  seemed  too  beautiful  to  break. 

"  Later  then,  perhaps,"  said  Frank.  "  If  you 
want — if  you'd  rather, — but  there's  no  rush.,  you 
know " 

I  drew  back.  "  Neither  is  there  any  reason  for 
secrecy,"  I  said  quietly. 

Frank  rose  and  lit  a  cigarette.  I  waited  until 
there  was  a  hazy  mist  of  smoke  between  us. 

"  So,  we  might  as  well  announce  it  at  once. 
Don't  you  think  so,  Frank?" 

Frank  smoked,  and  I  watched  him. 

"  We  could  announce  it  now,  right  now,  through 
the  telephone,"  I  began  again. 

Frank  laughed.     "  Oh,  where  is  romance !  "  he 


184  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

cried.  "  When  we  do  tell,  wouldn't  you  like  to  do 
it  in  some  good,  old-fashioned  way  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  assented  eagerly.     "  How?  " 

"  But  we  had  decided,  you  know,  to  keep  it  to 
ourselves  for  a  while,  a  short  while.  Why  not, 
dear?  When  a  round  of  entertainments  begin  in 
our  honor,  where  will  our  hearts  be?  Crowded 
up  somewhere  and  forgotten,  while  we  struggle  with 
too  many  dinners  and  indigestion." 

"  But  Frank,  I  told  you  the  possibilities,  the 
danger ; — either  of  us  might  be  accused,  perhaps  not 
openly,  but  covertly,  which  is  worse,  of  stealing 
Mrs.  Thornton's  sunburst.  It  is  gone;  some  one 
took  it.  Any  one  might  be  suspected,  to-day,  to- 
morrow— any  one,  I  mean,  who  was  at  Mrs.  Kapua's 
native  feast.  If  we  tell  that  we  are  engaged  now, 
it  will  show  at  least  that  we  trust  each  other." 

"  My  serious  little  sweetheart,"  said  Frank, 
half  tenderly,  half  mockingly,  "  does  she  want  to  be 
a  Protection  and  Relief  Society  of  two  ?  " 

I  laughed  in  spite  of  myself.  After  all,  our 
romance  was  a  present  fact,  danger  was  only  a 
possible  future. 

"  Let  them  talk,  dear  one,"  he  continued.  "  Who 
knows  but  that  they  might  say  we  were  going  to 
marry,  set  up  housekeeping,  and  live  happily  for- 
ever after  on  the  sale  of  the  stolen  stones;  it's 
just  as  likely.  Then,  after  we  really  got  into 
trouble,  they'd  rally  around  us  and  we  would  be  an 
uncomfortable  heroine  and  hero, — can't  you  see  us ! 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  185 

Please  keep  our  little  secret,  dear ;  we  can  be  roman- 
tic only  this  once.  Don't  let  people,  don't  let  the 
outside  world  come  between  us  yet, — not  yet." 

And  Frank  threw  his  cigarette  away  and  took 
me  gently  in  his  arms. 

I  must  say  it  was  not  hard  to  persuade  me. 
Frank  was  only  urging  my  own  real,  true,  inner- 
most wishes.  I  was  more  than  willing. 

But  at  Waikiki,  where  all  sides  of  a  house  are 
front,  where  visitors  may  enter  by  way  of  the 
Beach,  the  road,  or  the  neighbors'  gardens,  where 
keeping  open  house  is  literally  that,  and  where 
the  stranger  at  your  gates  comes  right  through 
them,  one  may  be  '  all  for  love  and  the  world  well 
lost,'  only  figuratively  speaking. 

I  started  as  I  heard  a  crunching  on  the  sands ; 
voices  floated  on  the  air,  a  woman's  and  a  man's. 

"  They  may  pass  on,"  Frank  murmured  hope- 
fully. 

But  they  were  coming  nearer  and  nearer.  The 
woman's  laugh  was  Mrs.  Spotfield's. 

Frank  put  his  hand  on  mine.  "  I'll  have  the 
joy  of  giving  you  this  again,  after  they  go,"  he 
whispered.  And  he  slipped  the  ring  off  my  finger 
and  put  it  in  his  vest  pocket. 

It  was  well  that  he  remembered.  Mrs.  Spot- 
field's  quick  eyes  would  have  seen  it  at  once. 

As  she  reached  the  steps  of  the  lanai,  I  went  for- 
ward to  greet  her.  Billy  Barker  was  with  her,  and 
they  explained  that  they'd  been  making  calls  along 


186  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  Beach,  everybody  had  been  out,  so  far,  and  now 
they  were  going  to  reap  the  reward  of  merit  and 
enjoy  a  rest  on  my  lanai. 

If  my  enthusiasm  at  this  proposition  was  over- 
done, neither  Mrs.  Spotfield,  nor  Billy,  seemed  to 
notice  it. 

"  It  seems  to  me  that  Mr.  Barker  and  I  have 
met  the  whole  of  Honolulu  this  afternoon,"  said 
Mrs.  Spotfield. 

And  she  looked  so  conscious,  and  so  pleased,  that 
I  felt  sure  Mrs.  Chandler  must  have  been  one  who 
had  seen  her  and  Billy  Barker  together.  So,  just 
to  be  agreeable,  I  said: 

"  I  generally  meet  the  whole  of  Honolulu  when 
I  am  not  looking  my  best ;  you  are  lucky." 

Mrs.  Spotfield  smiled  and  looked  prettier  than 
ever.  She  had  on  a  simple  white  frock,  with  becom- 
ing touches  of  pink,  and  her  blonde  hair  was  all 
short  and  curly,  under  a  hat  covered  with  pink 
roses. 

"  Yes,  if  we  did  dress  up  for  this  outing,  we  feel 
repaid;  this  is  my  best  blue  tie,"  said  Billy  Barker 
modestly. 

"  First,  we  saw  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyril  Lumsing, 
and  it  is  plain  she  didn't  calculate  on  this  tropical 
climate  when  she  invested  in  English  hair  dye;  and 
so  she's  acquired  some  pale  green  threads  amongst 
the  gold.  Then,  we  met  Adrienne  Singlee  and 
Cherub  Billkins,  but  she's  wasting  her  time  on  him, 
for  he's  the  very  worst  flirt  in  the  Navy.  After 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  187 

them,  we  saw  Guy  Selby  and  Teddy  Skelton,  with 
two  pretty  girls, — weren't  they  pretty,  Mr. 
Barker?" 

"  Peaches,"  said  Mr.  Barker  conclusively. 

"  Who  were  the  girls?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  came  in  on  the  Transport  yesterday," 
explained  Billy.  "  Who  wouldn't  be  a  Transport 
chaser?  " 

"  Then  we  met  Mr.  Mitchell,  and  then — oh  then, 
we  saw  you,  Mr.  Alden,  but  you  didn't  see  us ;  you 
were  walking  with  Mrs.  Kapua,  strolling  along  as 
if  the  day  were  before  you  and  hurry  was  the  un- 
known quantity  that  it  used  to  be  before  annexa- 
tion. Mrs.  Kapua  really  looked  awfully  handsome, 
didn't  she,  Mr.  Alden?" 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  is  always  handsome,"  answered 
Frank. 

"  And  last,  but  not  least,  we  saw  the  Commo- 
dore and  Mrs.  Chandler  coming  up  from  the 
wharf.  Now,  wasn't  that  an  eventful  afternoon, 
I'd  like  to  know?" 

I  glanced  at  Frank.  He  had  not  mentioned 
Mrs.  Kapua,  when  he  had  pictured  his  happy  day 
to  me. 

"  By  the  way,  Frank,"  said  Billy  Barker,  "  the 
Commodore  has  a  few  shares  left  of  that  stock  he 
has  let  Mrs.  Kapua  and  me  have.  You  remember, 
I  told  you  about  it  the  other  day.  Take  a  chance, 
old  fellow.  The  Commodore  is  a  decent  chap;  he's 
letting  us  have  it  at  par,  although  it's  advanced 


188  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

at  least  ten  points.  There's  every  prospect  of  it 
going  much  higher." 

"  I  believe  Jo  Elkins  has  taken  the  rest  of  it," 
said  Frank. 

"  Not  all  the  shares ;  I  know  there  are  still  a 
few." 

«  Well,  I'll  think  it  over,"  said  Frank. 

"  I  was  just  saying  to  Mr.  Barker,  as  we  came 
along,  that  I  really  thought  Mrs.  Chandler  was  the 
most  unusual,  the  most  interesting  woman  in  Hono- 
lulu," said  Mrs.  Spotfield,  "  and  that's  saying  an 
awful  lot,  isn't  it?  " 

"  It  is,"  said  Frank  and  Billy  Barker  together, 
as  though  they  saw  their  duty  clearly,  and  did  it. 

"  There's  always  something  about  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler to  keep  you  guessing,"  continued  Mrs.  Spotfield. 

"Well,  don't  guess,"  interposed  Billy  lazily, 
"  do  in  Rome  as  the  Romans  do.  The  Hawaiian 
knows  nothing,  sees  nothing,  asks  nothing.  Her 
first  cousin  may  look  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red, 
and  she  may  have  to  help  her  into  bed,  but  she  shuts 
her  eyes.  What  she  hears  is  idle  gossip,  what  she 
sees,  she  forgets,  and " 

"  How  different  we  are,  Mr.  Barker.  Now,  for 
instance,  that  afternoon  when  we  were  on  the  Gelda, 
you  remember  when  the  Japanese  maid  brought 
that  sheet  of  paper  to  the  Commodore?  How 
quickly  Mrs.  Chandler  left  us,  and  got  over  to  them. 
Perhaps  she  has  a  Past ! " 

"  Oh,    it    was    only    some   drawings,"    I    said. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  189 

"  But  perhaps  we  all  have  letters  to  burn,"  I  added 
with  a  laugh. 

And  I  thought  of  my  ring  in  Frank's  vest 
pocket ;  I  felt  almost  as  if  I  had  a  Past  myself. 

"  Well,  I've  decided  she  must  have  something 
in  her  life,"  persisted  Mrs.  Spotfield.  "  Of  course 
with  a  yacht,  she  can  get  away  from  it." 

"  Let's  hope  she  won't  get  becalmed,"  sajid 
Billy  Barker. 

"  Oh !  pshaw,  you  know  what  I  mean ;  when  one  is 
fortunate  enough  to  have  a  yacht,  and  jewels,  and 
French  gowns,  and  all  that  Mrs.  Chandler  has,  one 
can  even  enjoy  a  Past;  and  I  believe  she  does." 

"  The  dodging  of  a  Past  may  be  the  pastime 
of  a  Future,"  said  Frank. 

"  I  believe  you  and  Mr.  Barker  are  just  guying 
me,"  said  Mrs.  Spotfield,  with  a  pout. 

But  I  thought  Frank's  remark  was  very  neat, 
until  he  added: 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  is  going  on  the  Gelda  to-night 
to  a  dinner." 

This  did  not  seem  at  all  apropos  to  me.  What 
had  suggested  Mrs.  Kapua  to  Frank?  He  had 
forgotten  to  mention  her  to  me  when  it  might  have 
been  expected  he  would;  why  should  he  recall  her 
now? 

"You're  bidden  to  the  feast,  Billy?"  he  con- 
tinued. 

"Yes,  I'll  be  there;  it's  just  a  small  dinner  and 
bridge." 


190  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Of  course  Frank  might  have  spoken  of  Mrs. 
Kapua  and  the  dinner  to  change  the  subject;  I 
hadn't  thought  of  that  before.  Billy  had  not  been 
looking  pleased.  He  was  not  the  sort  of  man  to 
relish  remarks  like  Mrs.  Spotfield's,  although  he 
might  believe  they  were  made  in  an  innocence  to  fit 
her  blonde  prettiness,  and  girlish  smile. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  is  a  wonder  at  cards.  She  car- 
ries the  same  unchanging  serenity  through  a  losing 
game.  But  to-night  we  expect  to  walk  away  with 
the  Commodore,  and  to  wipe  the  Doctor  off  the 
face  of  the  earth." 

"  They've  been  winning  lately,  haven't  they  ?  " 
asked  Frank. 

"  Yes ;  the  luck  has  changed.  The  Commodore 
lost  steadily  at  first ;  now,  we  are  in  for  it." 

" '  Lucky  at  cards,  unlucky  in  love,'  you  know," 
said  Mrs.  Spotfield  playfully. 

And  she  smiled  straight  at  Billy.  It  would  have 
taken  a  very  modest,  and  a  very  obtuse  man  not 
to  see  the  flattery,  and  a  very  different  man  from 
Billy  not  to  respond  to  it. 

"  It's  a  shame  to  spend  such  perfect  evenings 
playing  cards  any  way,"  said  Billy.  "  But,  I've 
promised  now." 

"  Oh,  I  have  an  engagement  too,"  said  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  with  an  ingenuousness  that  held  its  own 
appeal. 

Mrs.  Thornton's  advice  had  been  wise;  it  was 
far  better  that  Frank  and  Mrs.  Kapua  should  be 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  191 

friends  and  that  he  should  not  hear  her  insinuations 
against  himself.  It  was  possible  that  Frank  had 
met  her  quite  by  accident,  as  he  was  going  to  Court, 
for  instance,  or  maybe  as  he  was  leaving  Court. 
He  couldn't  shut  himself  up  in  a  box,  because  he 
was  engaged  to  me.  It  might,  of  course,  strike  one 
as  strange  that  Frank  should  have  neglected  to  tell 
me  of  his  walk — or,  rather,  stroll — with  her. 
Although  why,  after  all,  should  he  tell  me  of  the 
trivial  happenings  of  each  day?  But  to-day  was 
different, — I  recalled  Frank's  day, — such  a  beauti- 
ful day,  with  me  always  by  him  on  that  rosy 
cloud 

"  Oh,  must  you  go  ?  "  I  said,  with  a  start. 

And  I  rose  from  my  chair  to  speed  the  parting 
guest. 

It  must  have  been  fully  a  half  hour  later,  when 
Frank  asked  me  why  I  was  smiling  so  sweetly,  like 
a  happy  little  angel. 

But  I  only  nestled  up  to  Frank  and  I  did  not 
explain.  In  fact,  I  was  thinking  that  pink  was 
very  unbecoming  to  Mrs.  Kapua.  And  I  was 
glad.  For  she  might  have  had — perhaps — just  a 
corner  on  that  rosy  cloud. 


XV. 

MRS.  THOENTON  had  returned  from  the  Vol- 
cano, and  taken  a  week's  rest.  The  wonders  of 
the  burning  lake,  with  its  waves  of  molten  lava 
dashing  against  the  sides  of  the  crater,  the  thun- 
dering detonations,  the  heat,  the  glow,  the  fiery 
spray,  the  whole,  wondrous,  dazzling,  awesome 
spectacle,  familiar  to  us  all,  but  ever  new  in  its  ter- 
rible significance,  had  seemed  to  hold  Hugo  Basil- 
ton  spellbound.  But  on  the  way  home,  he  had 
heaved  a  deep  sigh,  tossed  his  coal  black  lock  of  hair 
from  his  brow,  and  had  said: 

"It  is  worthy  of  my  pen,"  or  words  to  that 
effect.  Mrs.  Thornton  said  she  needed  a  rest,  after 
that  remark. 

We  had  all  gone  down  with  leis  to  see  the  Basil- 
tons  off  to  Japan;  and  we  had  been  promised  a 
copy  of  the  author's  Romance  of  Hawaii;  Billy 
Barker  said  perhaps  he  always  bought  up  the  first 
edition  himself.  The  romance  was  already  named: 
"  A  Heart's  Lava  Flow." 

Mrs.  Thornton  came  out  of  her  retirement  and 
announced  that  she  was  going  to  give  a  picnic. 
Now,  Mrs.  Thornton's  picnics  were  generally  timed 
to  the  clearness  of  the  weather  and  the  arrival  of 
some  one  new  to  entertain.  This  happy  conjunc- 
tion had  failed;  there  didn't  happen  to  be  any 
letters  of  introduction  lately  to  arouse  Honolulu. 
But  as  the  sun  continued  to  shine  in  unabated 

192 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  193 

splendor,  and  the  breezes  blew  fresh  from  the  right 
direction,  Mrs.  Thornton  couldn't  resist,  so  she 
went  ahead  with  only  half  an  excuse. 

Of  course  if  you  are  romantic  by  nature,  you 
can  be  romantic  on  a  hot  day  in  a  pineapple  field, 
unsheltered  to  the  sky  above,  with  the  low-lying, 
stiff-leaved  bushes  and  their  prickly  fruit  sur- 
rounding you.  But  it  would  be  a  test.  When 
Mrs.  Thornton  gives  a  picnic,  the  test  is  not  a 
question  of  persistence  so  much  as  resistance.  For, 
if  there  was  ever  a  romantic  spot,  it  is  just  where 
Mrs.  Thornton  always  gives  her  picnics. 

There  is  a  waterfall  and  a  swimming  pool,  re- 
flecting the  cloudless  skies,  its  clear  depths  deepen- 
ing into  still  lovelier  tints  of  blue  to  where  the 
fine  yellow  sands  shimmer  at  the  bottom.  Around 
the  borders,  every  variety  of  bigonia  grows  in  tropi- 
cal lavishness,  with  big,  velvety  leaves,  furry  and 
smooth,  of  daintiest  pastel  tints  shading  to  rich, 
dark  greens,  all  shapes  and  sizes  making  up  their 
queer  irregularity  of  outline.  There  are  bushes  of 
them,  some  as  tall  as  young  trees,  their  delicate, 
wax-like  flowers  waving  in  graceful  clusters  of 
scarlet,  or  pink,  from  their  slender  stems  in  an  exu- 
berance that  mocks  at  the  hot-house  cultivation  of 
colder  lands.  Massed  among  them,  the  fronds  of 
rare  ferns  curve  and  fall  to  a  wonderful  length, 
huge  leaves  with  markings  of  crimson,  radiating 
from  flaming  centres,  spring  up  everywhere  on 
sturdy  stalks  of  varying  height,  and  brilliant  cro- 
13 


194  A  JEWEL  OF(  THE  SEAS 

tons  vie  with  them  in  flaring  colors  that  blend  into 
gorgeous  harmony.  A  superb  bouquet  to  hold 
this  azure  pool,  like  a  glistening  sapphire,  in  its 
midst;  and  as  though  too  precious  to  be  left  un- 
guarded, it  is  almost  hidden  in  a  rampant  growth 
of  palms  and  bamboo.  Drooping  ferns,  and  mosses, 
hang  in  profusion  from  the  high  banks  above  the 
clear  waters  and  up,  way  up,  but  by  a  gradual 
ascent  easy  to  climb,  there  is  another  pool,  and  still 
wandering  on,  we  could  lose  ourselves  in  the  tangle 
of  overgrowth  beyond. 

But  the  favorite  walk  is  along  the  stream  that 
winds  for  miles  through  groves  of  tall,  old  trees, 
their  trunks  completely  hidden  with  all  sorts  of 
trailing  vines.  Shady  paths,  moss  grown,  fern  bor- 
dered, cool,  fragrant,  invite  one  farther  and 
farther,  and  rustic  bridges  built  over  the  water 
tempt  one  to  cross,  first  to  this  side  and  then  to  that, 
in  search  of  the  bright,  little  wild  flowers,  peeping 
out  amidst  the  riot  of  greens. 

There  is  a  pretty  bungalow,  with  a  big  lanai, 
and  every  convenience,  but  it  didn't  count  on  an 
occasion  like  this,  so  we  ate  our  lunch  outside,  sit- 
ting on  the  mossy  banks  by  the  edge  of  the  stream. 
A  bonfire  was  burning  under  the  cocoanut  trees, 
in  an  open  space  a  short  distance  away,  and  when 
Ah  L'ung  brought  bowls  of  chowder  deliciously  hot, 
and  the  siphon  bottles,  lying  about  in  the  water, 
were  refreshingly  cold,  we  pretended  we  didn't 
know  about  the  proximity  of  the  ice-box,  and  the 
stove. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  195 

A  picnic,  with  its  possibilities  of  delight  and 
none  of  its  discomforts,  with  caterpillars  a  rarity, 
and  snakes  an  impossibility,  could  scarcely  fail  to  be 
a  success.  I  didn't  know  whether  the  feast  was 
nectar  and  ambrosia,  but  it  seemed  quite  as  appetiz- 
ing. My  thoughts  had  wandered  off,  so  I  could 
scarcely  judge.  For  in  my  imagination  I  was  tak- 
ing with  Frank  the  walk  through  the  shady  woods 
that  I  knew  he  was  planning.  We  were  just  getting 
to  the  "  Toll  Bridge,"  known  to  tradition,  and 
quite  as  insistent  as  any  mistletoe  bough  could  ever 
hope  to  be,  when  Frank  said : 

"  I'll  take  these  sandwiches  over  to  Mrs.  Kapua ; 
shall  I?" 

I  really  didn't  know  what  he  meant  by :  "  Shall 
I?  "  For,  if  he  was  hunting  for  encouragement, 
why  hadn't  he  waited  for  it? 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  half  lounging  on  a  rise  in  the 
bank,  near  by,  the  trunk  of  a  tree  at  her  back. 
She  looked  comfortable  enough  to  be  in  an  arm- 
chair, an  upholstered  one.  She  gave  Frank  one  of 
her  dazzling  smiles,  a  flash  of  dark  eyes  and  white 
teeth.  Her  color  was  exquisite,  and  made  her  deep 
eyes  more  beautiful  than  ever.  At  her  feet  was  the 
Commodore,  handsomer  than  ever  in  his  white  flan- 
nels and  soft  shirt,  with  its  low  collar  and  careless 
tie. 

Adrienne  Singlee  was  near  me,  and  I  leaned  over 
to  her  and  whispered :  "  Where's  Ashton  Waller, 
you  fickle  little  flirt?  " 

Adrienne  had  come  in  a  buggy  with  Mr.  Bill- 


196  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

kins.  He  was  fair,  and  florid,  and  young.  He 
looked  as  if  he  didn't  have  a  care  in  the  world  and 
wouldn't  keep  one,  if  he  did  have  it.  He  had  gone 
for  some  salad,  and  Adrienne  appeared  so  con- 
scious that  she  was  an  invitation  for  investigation. 

"  But  Ashton  is  only  an  ensign,  and  Mr.  Billkins 
is  a  lieutenant,"  said  Adrienne.  "  And  Celeste  will 
be  coming  out  before  I  know  it.  And  I  am  twenty- 
two." 

Adrienne  was  always  satisfactory.  There  was 
nothing  further  left  to  enquire. 

"  Mr.  Billkins  is  different,"  continued  Adrienne. 
"  If  he  is  devoted  to  a  girl,  he  is  not  going  to  stop 
rushing  her  with  that  same,  old  recitation : — '  Gos- 
sip can't  hurt  me,  but  I  must  protect  you ;  for  your 
sake  we  must  part,' — you  know,  the  usual  rig- 
marole." 

It  did  sound  familiar.  Mr.  Billkins  was  return- 
ing with  the  salad,  as  if  he  were  in  a  great  hurry 
to  get  back  to  Adrienne,  and  he  presented  it  to  her 
like  a  courtier  serving  his  queen. 

Frank  had  only  handed  the  sandwiches  to  Mrs. 
Kapua. 

Celeste  was  with  Teddy  Skelton.  She  was  the 
image  of  Adrienne  and  the  other  Singlees,  a  slender 
slip  of  a  girl  with  a  clear,  olive  skin,  and  black 
eyes  with  the  suggestion  of  a  slant.  And  as  she  was 
not  yet  really  "  out "  and  Leonie  was  still  away  at 
school,  her  good  times  were  untinged  by  sober  reflec- 
tion. Teddy  and  she  romped,  and  played  ball  with 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  197 

the  oranges,  and  made  a  wonderful  pink  lemonade 
in  some  mysterious  way  which  they  refused  to 
divulge,  undaunted  by  our  refusal  to  partake  with- 
out the  reassurance  of  the  recipe.  She  laughed  at 
Teddy's  jokes,  knew  most  of  his  classmates,  their 
joys  and  their  sorrows,  she  had  read  the  latest 
"  Lucky  Bag "  from  cover  to  cover,  and  remem- 
bered it ;  she  had,  in  fact,  found  the  straight  path 
to  Teddy's  heart.  It  was  that  way  with  the  Sing- 
lees.  They  didn't  plunge  into  the  Navy.  They 
started  with  the  middies — and  worked  their  way 
up,  too. 

Mrs.  Thornton  had  invited  a  number  of  extra 
men.  She  said  they  were  needed  at  a  picnic  because 
they  looked  so  well  lying  around  on  the  sward 
at  the  feet  of  the  women,  and  besides  she  wanted  to 
provide  a  substitute  for  Billy  Barker  and  among 
so  many  of  his  sex,  this  ought  to  be  easy.  She 
didn't  care  whether  Mrs.  Chandler,  or  Mrs.  Spot- 
field,  got  Billy,  but  she  did  not  think  it  was  quite 
fair,  at  a  picnic,  for  him  to  be  so  overworked. 

And  after  lunch,  Mrs.  Spotfield,  surrounded 
by  substitutes,  sat  in  the  shade,  with  a  becoming 
pink  parasol  over  her,  and  smiled  on  as  she  saw 
Mrs.  Chandler  and  Billy  Barker  go-  off  together 
through  the  woods. 

Mrs.  Thornton,  who  had  just  joined  me  with 
her  husband,  gave  me  a  look,  which  betrayed  a 
conscious  pride  in  her  own  diplomacy. 

Adrienne  disappeared  in  one  direction  with  Mr. 


198  A  JEWEL  OP  THE  SEAS 

Billkins,  and  Celeste  sought  the  upper  pool  with 
Teddy  Skelton,  and  a  box  of  candy.  The  Mitchells, 
and  Elkins,  and  Stowes,  had  drifted  towards  the 
lanai  and  some  comfortable  chairs.  A  few  of  the 
others  had  gone  to  see  the  grass  hut.  Captain 
Bryce,  the  Paymaster,  and  Guy  Selby,  were  devot- 
ing themselves  to  a  group  of  girls,  although  Guy 
had  one  eye  on  me,  and  a  budding  determination 
to  join  me  when  he  had  a  chance,  was  quite 
apparent. 

I  carefully  avoided  his  eye,  and  gave  him  no 
encouragement  lest  it  might  be  awkward  to  get 
away  when  Frank  came  for  me. 

The  Comomdore  rose  slowly  to  his  feet  and 
towered  above  Mrs.  Kapua.  Frank  had  monopo- 
lized her  completely,  and  the  Commodore  had  been 
left  out  in  the  cold  with  the  neglected  sandwiches 
beside  him.  But  before  he  had  a  chance  to  speak, 
Frank  held  out  his  hand  to  Mrs.  Kapua,  and  she  got 
up  with  his  aid,  and  found  a  steady  footing  on  the 
slippery  moss. 

"  Which  way  are  we  going?  "  she  asked. 

Frank's  gesture  pointed  to  our  favorite  walk; 
past  the  bungalow,  to  the  right,  across  the  first 
bridge,  and  on 

Mrs.  Kapua  threw  a  glance  over  her  shoulder 
at  the  Commodore,  a  glance  that  said :  "  Your 
chance  may  come." 

And  she  sauntered  off  with  Frank  at  a  gait  cer- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  199 

tainly  not  calculated  to  insure  even  an  arrival 
anywhere,  much  less  a  return. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  this  for  a  glorious 
spot !  "  said  the  Commodore  to  me. 

But  his  tone  really  held  no  more  enthusiasm 
than  if  he'd  said :  "  What  do  you  think  of  this 
for  a  queer  trick !  " 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornton,  seeing  that  their  guests 
were  so  happy,  and  that  every  one  was  provided 
for,  went  off  for  a  walk,  looking  like  the  pair  of 
lovers  that  they  assuredly  were,  as  they  disap- 
peared hand  in  hand.  It  certainly  was  refreshing 
to  see  a  married  couple  who  preferred  to  be 
together. 

I  didn't  feel  much  like  talking  to  the  Commo- 
dore, but  he  could  be  very  charming,  and  very 
interesting,  and  he  seemed  bent  upon  proving  this 
to  me  now.  He  told  me  about  Samoa  and  its  tropi- 
cal fascination,  how  much  more  primitive  it  was 
than  Hawaii,  what  an  ideal  country  it  would  be  for 
a  honeymoon  with  its  romantic  scenery,  and  about 
a  stunning  Samoan  beauty,  the  daughter  of  a  poor 
fisherman,  who  had  been  adopted  by  a  wealthy, 
fad-crazy,  English  couple,  passing  through  Apia. 
They  had  taken  her  to  London  to  be  educated.  She 
had  lately  been  returned  to  her  father  and  his 
lowly  hut,  cultured,  accomplished,  luxury  loving, 
and  miserable — her  whilom  parents  having  adopted 
Pomeranians  instead. 

The  Commodore  thought  that  jail  would  be  too 


200  A  JEWEL  OP  THE  SEAS 

good  a  place  for  the  thoughtless  experimenters  who 
had  forgotten  the  unfortunate  Samoan  girl,  lan- 
guishing in  the  home  wherein  she  had  once  been 
contented.  The  Commodore's  picture  of  "  Poor, 
little  Kiva,"  as  he  called  her,  was  a  pathetic  one. 
Of  course  I  wanted  to  hear  if  she  was  becoming 
adjusted,  if  she  missed  her  piano,  her  schoolmates, 
if  she  would  marry,  if  she  could  possibly  fall  in  love 
with  one  of  her  own  race  and  settle  down  to  such  a 
different  life,  after  the  years  spent  in  London.  The 
Commodore  didn't  know  any  more  about  Kiva,  but 
he  promised  to  keep  me  posted  about  anything  he 
might  hear  of  her  and  no  matter  in  what  part  of 
the  world  he  might  be,  he  would  not  forget. 

The  Gelda,  he  explained,  would  probably  sail 
for  San  Francisco,  from  the  Islands;  after  that, 
they  had  made  no  definite  plans,  until  they  went  to 
the  Mediterranean  for  the  winter. 

"  By  the  way,"  he  added  abruptly,  "  I've  been 
thinking  of  asking  young  Alden  to  go  with  us,  just 
for  the  trip,  you  know.  Mrs.  Chandler  and  I  have 
taken  a  fancy  to  him;  he's  a  fine  fellow  and  he 
works  so  hard,  he  ought  to  have  a  vacation.  I  know 
he's  a  good  friend  of  yours,  tell  me,  do  you  think 
he  could  get  off  with  us  ?  " 

"Well,  I'm  sure  I  don't  know;  it's  awfully  kind 

of  you "  I  stopped  short.  That  sounded  as 

if  I  owned  Frank ;  it  wasn't  my  place  to  thank  the 
Commodore  for  his  invitation. 

"  I  don't  know  if  he'd  be  interested  in  a  trip  to 


'A.  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  201 

San  Francisco,  that's  the  only  thing.  Now,  if  we 
were  going  to  Japan,"  said  the  Commodore,  "  Japan 
is  more  unusual  of  course,  and  besides  I  hear  he  has 
friends  in  Yokohama,  has  he  not?  " 

"  Yes ;  he  has  been  in  Japan ;  did  he  tell  you  ?  " 

"  No ;  Mrs.  Kapua  happened  to  mention  it,  and 
I  was  thinking  it  would  make  it  so  pleasant  for  him 
to  return  there.  I  forgot  all  about  asking  him  if 
he  had  met  Dick  Joyce,  or  Harry  Bellairs,  or  Phil- 
lips, the  chap  who  married  a  Japanese  girl, — all 
good  fellows,  members  of  the  United  Club." 

I  hadn't  heard  Frank  mention  any  of  these. 

"  Then  there  was  John  Boynton " 

"  Oh,  Frank  knows  him,"  I  cried,  "  he's  an  old 
friend." 

"  A  fine  fellow,  a  fine  fellow ! "  said  the  Com- 
modore ;  "  I  have  not  written  to  him  since  I  left. 
You'd  think,  on  the  yacht,  that  one  would  have 
plenty  of  time  for  writing,  but  I  never  was  much 
for  letters.  I  must  ask  Alden  if  he's  heard  from 
old  John  lately.  I  suppose  they  correspond?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  I  said,  as  the  Commodore 
seemed  to  be  politely  waiting  to  give  me  a  chance 
to  answer. 

I  was  glad  when  Guy  Selby,  with  his  budding 
determination  in  full  bloom,  left  the  group,  where 
there  was  a  safety  in  numbers  quite  unsuited  to  his 
taste,  and  came  down  towards  us.  The  Commodore 
and  I  had  reached  the  stage  when  we  were  palpably 
making  conversation  and  besides  I'd  rather  Frank 


202  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

would  find  me  with  Guy,  when  he  returned,  than 
with  the  Commodore.  I  never  have  been  able  to 
understand  any  one  being  jealous  myself,  jealousy 
being  an  ingredient  completely  left  out  of  my  com- 
position, but  Frank  had  shown  he  was  undeniably 
jealous  of  Guy  Selby,  and  Frank  deserved  to  be 
punished.  For  although  I  didn't  care,  still  he 
could  have  asked  me  to  go  for  a  walk,  instead  of 
taking  Mrs.  Kapua.  Even  admitting  that  it  was 
all  her  fault ;  she  of  course  wanted  to  add  Frank  to 
her  list  of  conquests. 

Mrs.  Spotfield  made  an  effort  to  stop  Guy,  as  he 
was  passing,  evidently  believing  that  the  next  best 
thing  to  quality  was  quantity.  If  she  could  not 
have  Billy  Barker,  she  was  going  to  let  him,  and 
Mrs.  Chandler,  see  her  surrounded  by  a  little  court 
of  which  she  was  queen.  So  she  wanted  to  add 
Guy  to  the  four,  or  five,  men  already  hovering 
about  her.  But,  straight  as  a  well-shot  arrow 
from  its  bow,  Guy  came  to  me.  It  showed  what  will 
and  force  of  character  could  accomplish  under  the 
proper  incentive.  This  reminded  me  that  Mrs. 
Kapua  was  always  strong  willed,  and  goodness 
knows  Frank  is  an  incentive. 

Guy  was  truly  welcome  when  he  joined  us.  In 
a  few  moments,  the  Commodore  made  some  excuse 
and  went  to  meet  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornton,  who  were 
slowly  walking  back. 

Guy  Selby  is  the  only  man  I  ever  knew  who 
could  insure  a  tete-a-tete  by  auto  suggestion.  It 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

has  the  advantage  of  being  absolutely  polite,  as  well 
as  efficacious,  and  the  subconscious  victim  never 
fails  to  move  off,  instead  of  staying  to  sit  it  out. 

"  At  last ! "  he  whispered,  as  the  Commodore 
moved  away. 

The  balm  of  Gilead  could  not  have  been  more 
soothing.  In  easy  words  of  one  syllable,  Guy  had 
told  a  story  of  resolve,  and  struggle,  the  fighting 
for  a  great  end,  and  of  a  final  achievement.  I  had 
been  put  on  a  pedestal,  and  I  looked  down  at  Guy 
and  smiled  sweetly,  and  I  felt  just  like  saying: 
"  Thanks  for  the  seat,"  I  really  enjoyed  it  so  much. 

Being  perfectly  comfortable,  I  naturally  re- 
fused to  go  for  a  stroll.  I  certainly  did  not  intend 
to  appear  deserted  when  Frank  returned,  but  I  was 
willing  to  remain  where  he  could  find  me,  without 
wasting  the  rest  of  the  afternoon  searching. 

A  tete-a-tete  with  Guy  was  indisputably  a  flirta- 
tion, even  if  one  kept  the  other  end  only  half  up. 
Time  really  passed  quite  quickly, — still  I  recog- 
nized it  as  time.  Mrs.  Kapua  was  always  an  unusual 
walker  for  this  climate. 

I  couldn't  help  wondering  why  Frank  had  not 
told  me  my  hands  were  beautiful ;  I  could  not  remem- 
ber his  ever  having  intimated  anything  of  the  kind. 
He  had  called  them  dear,  but  he  had  never  said  they 
were  pretty,  in  fact  he  hadn't  laid  much  stress  on 
my  hands.  But  they  certainly  were  white,  as  Guy 
said.  Could  it  be  possible  for  a  man  to  be  really 
in  love  with  a  girl  and  not  notice  every  good  point 


204  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

she  might  possess?  It  may  be  true  that  lovers  do 
not  talk  much,  or  it  may  be  possible  that  the  fre- 
quent lover  becomes  the  more  expert  in  what  to 
say.  I  recalled  "  The  Silent  Lover "  with  some 
satisfaction. 

"  Passions  are  likened  best  to  floods  and  streams, 
The  shallow  murmur  but  the  deep  are  dumb." 

How  true ! 

Frank  and  Mrs.  Kapua  strolled  into  sight.  I 
failed  to  meet  Frank's  quick  look  in  my  direction, 
being  utterly  absorbed  in  Guy. 

"  It  was  a  beautiful  walk ;  oh,  so  beautiful !  " 
cried  Mrs.  Kapua  in  her  voice  of  music,  as  she  and 
Frank  paused  beside  us. 

She  was  glowing  and  animated.  The  scent  of 
some  ylang  ylang  blossoms  she  wore  hung  faintly 
on  the  air ;  to  me  it  was  sickeningly  sweet. 

"  It  was  beautiful  here  too, — just  sitting  here 
in  this  glorious  spot  and  being  lazy, — and  happy !  " 
I  said,  with  all  the  enthusiasm  that  the  occasion 
demanded. 

"  But  I'm  thirsty  eh,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua  plain- 
tively. 

"  Let  me  get  you  a  drink,"  offered  the  Commo- 
dore, who  had  come  along  with  Mrs.'  Thornton. 

"  No ;  no  thanks,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua,  "  there's 
only  one  drink  in  the  world  that  could  satisfy  me, 
and  that  I  cannot  have." 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  205 

"  Oh,  what  a  reflection  on  our  new  wine  cellar !  " 
Mrs.  Thornton  said  reproachfully. 

The  Commodore  picked  up  one  of  the  glasses 
near  us,  and  begged  her  to  name  the  beverage,  so 
he  could  fly  for  it. 

"  You're  very  good  to  me,  but  what  I  want  eh, 
is  the  milk  of  a  young  cocoanut,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua 
with  a  gesture,  at  once  of  apology  and  relinquish- 
ment. 

"  She  has  but  to  speak,  and  milk  and  honey 
flow  through  the  land,"  said  the  Commodore. 
"  You  hold  the  glass,  Mrs.  Kapua." 

"  Nonsense,"  cried  Mrs.  Kapua,  "  I  was  only 
joking."  She  glanced  up  at  the  tall  trees  just  be- 
yond, affording  no  foothold  their  entire,  smooth, 
slim  length.  "  You  cannot  get  me  a  cocoanut." 

"  And  why  not  ?  "  asked  the  Commodore. 

"  Well,  I  used  to  have  a  sweetheart,  when  I  was 
a  .girl,  who  could  shinny  up  a  cocoanut  tree  and 
bring  me  all  the  cocoanuts  I  wanted,  but  I  don't 
know  any  one  now  capable  of  that  wonderful  feat." 

"  I  could  do  better  than  that  as  a  lover,"  the 
Commodore  declared.  "  I  would  stay  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  tree  and  make  love  to  the  girl,  and  bring 
the  cocoanuts  to  her  at  the  same  time." 

Mrs.  Kapua  opened  her  big,  lustrous  eyes. 
"  Oh  Commodore,"  she  said,  with  a  little  laugh,  but 
the  caressing  note  in  her  voice  softened  her 
incredulity. 

66 1  can't  make  love  with  an  audience,"  said  the 


206  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Commodore ;  his  laugh  tempered  the  boldness  of  the 
return  glance  he  threw  toward  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  But 
I  am  going  to  make  good  on  the  rest  of  my  boast," 
he  added. 

He  took  a  few  steps  forward  .and  stood  a 
moment  selecting  his  tree.  With  his  head  thrown 
back,  he  measured  its  height  with  narrowed  eyes. 

Of  course  the  attention  of  every  one  was  on 
him;  he  looked,  for  all  the  world,  like  a  favorite 
type  of  the  magazine  illustrator  with  his  fine 
physique,  and  clear  cut  features. 

"  Now,  Mrs.  Kapua,  here's  your  cocoanut ! " 
he  said,  and  putting  his  hand  in  his  hip  pocket, 
he  took  out  a  pistol  and  almost  before  we  had  a 
chance  to  protest,  he  aimed  and  shot  into  the  top  of 
the  nearest  tree,  waving  its  plumed  top  lazily  in  the 
light  breeze.  A  big  nut  fell  to  the  ground. 

The  Commodore,  laughing  at  the  startled  little 
screams,  and  exclamations,  all  around,  went  and 
picked  it  up. 

"  You  see,"  he  said,  "  it  is  not  hurt ;  I  aimed 
for  the  stem." 

The  men  all  clustered  about  the  Commodore; 
it  was  true  the  bullet  had  pierced  only  the  stem. 

"  But  this  is  not  a  young  one,"  he  said. 

He  shot  again,  and  again,  with  an  unfailing  aim 
that  broke  only  the  stem  each  time  and  brought  the 
fruit  down,  unhurt. 

He  certainly  was  a  picture,  as  he  stood  there, 
but  I  could  not  help  thinking  how  I  would  hate  to 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  207 

have  him  for  an  enemy.  The  coldness  of  his  eyes, 
the  hint  of  cruelty  in  his  mouth,  would  give  but 
little  hope  of  mercy. 

His  expression  changed  as  he  stopped  shooting 
and  looked  at  Mrs.  Kapua.  She  returned  his  look. 
It  had  been  an  exhibition  of  manly  prowess  that 
held  for  her  a  potent  fascination,  and  she  made 
no  secret  of  her  admiration. 

"  There  was  an  interesting  case  in  Samoa,  a 
while  before  we  got  there,"  said  the  Commodore. 
"  One  of  the  favorite  dancers  in  Apia,  a  hand- 
some Samoan  girl,  had  transferred  her  affections 
to  some  new  arrival,  and  her  lover  was  furi- 
ously jealous.  One  day,  he  found  his  sweetheart 
sitting  under  a  cocoanut  tree  with  his  rival.  He 
whipped  out  his  pistol,  but  instead  of  shooting  the 
man,  he  shot  into  the  tree  above  him.  It  was  at 
least  ninety  feet  high,  but  so  accurate  was  his  aim 
that  the  nut  he  brought  down,  hit  his  victim  square 
on  the  head.  He  was  killed  instantly.  The  lover 
was  acquitted  of  course;  a  verdict  of  accidental 
death  was  returned." 

Before  we  had  thoroughly  digested  this  story, 
the  Commodore  took  Mrs.  Kapua  and  a  couple  of 
the  cocoanuts  to  a  shady  nook  near  the  upper  pool, 
so  that  she  might  rest  and  refresh  herself.  Mrs. 
Spotfield's  court,  and  all  the  other  men,  returned 
to  the  women  they  had  deserted.  Mrs.  Thornton 
asked  Guy  to  go  with  her  and  help  superintend 
Ah  Lung,  and  iced  drinks. 


208  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Frank  and  I  were  left  alone. 

"Isn't  he  the  limit?"  asked  Frank  in  a  dis- 
gusted tone. 

But  I  myself  thought  the  Commodore  was  doing 
very  well.  I  appreciated  his  direct  methods.  It 
really  couldn't  be  more  than  ten  minutes  since  Mrs. 
Kapua  had  returned,  and  now  they  were  lost  to 
view  in  the  verdure  above. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  you  mean ;  women 
admire  him,"  I  said  briefly,  and  coldly. 

"  He  might  take  with  some  types,"  Frank  con- 
ceded. 

"  A  handsome  man,  of  fine  presence,  a  man  of 
wealth,  travelled,  cultured,  a  good  talker, — I  really 
don't  know  what  more  you  want !  " 

"  Well,  we  won't  waste  time  talking  of  the 
Commodore,  dear, — not  when  there's  YOU." 

"  Oh,  goodness !  "  I  said,  with  the  most  careless 
of  laughs,  "  I've  heard  nothing  from  Guy  but  ME, 
all  the  while  you  were  off  in  the  woods." 

Frank  looked  troubled,  so  I  resolved  to  harp 
upon  this  and  I  did,  introducing  effective  variations 
of  the  original  theme.  Finally  his  brow  cleared,  so 
I  hastened  to  add: 

"  We  had  a  very  interesting  discussion  on 
kisses." 

Frank  smiled  and  lit  a  cigarette. 

"  If  he  lives  up  to  the  well-known  reputation 
of  the  sailor,  he  ought  to  be  able  to  talk  intelli- 
gently, at  least,  on  the  subject,"  he  said. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  209 

"  That  sweetheart-in-every-port  idea  lacks  orig- 
inality," I  said. 

"  Truth  is  never  original,"  said  Frank ;  "  and 
neither  are  kisses." 

A  thousand,  or  two,  retorts  flashed  through  my 
mind,  but  none  seemed  adequate. 

"  The  originality  is  in  the  girl,"  said  Frank. 

His  gray  eyes  were  very  deep  and  soft,  as  they 
looked  into  mine.  "  And  when  you  really  care, 
there  has  never  been  any  kiss  before  in  all  the 
world." 

I  was  glad  I  had  not  been  ridiculous  and  undig- 
nified enough  to  show  any  feeling  about  Frank's 
lengthy  tete-a-tete  with  Mrs.  Kapua,  and  I  watched 
his  cigarette  smoke  to  the  end,  in  a  silence  I  had 
no  desire  to  break. 

"  Guy  Selby  is  the  type,"  resumed  Frank, 
"  that  starts  at  a  very  tender  age  to  lisp  : 

"  The  rose  is  red,  the  violet's  blue, 
Sugar  is  sweet  and  so  are  you." 

Then  he  went  into  the  Navy  and  now  he  has  pro- 
gressed to: 

"  One  kind  kiss  before  we  part, 
Drop  a  tear  and  bid  adieu, 
Tho*  we  sever,  my  fond  heart, 
Till  we  meet,  shall  pant  for  you." 

I  threw  back  my  head  and  laughed.     I  really 
couldn't  help   it.      Frank's   imitation   of  Guy  was 
so  true  that  I  could  almost  hear  him  reciting  the 
14 


210  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

words,  so  that  the  implication  Frank  made  only 
too  clear,  would  be  veiled  in  an  impenetrable  mist. 

Frank,  encouraged  by  my  appreciation,  went 
on  to  remark  that  various,  and  diverse,  must  be  the 
kisses  known  to  Guy  in  his  travels.  He  said  Guy 
ought  to  write  a  book  and  call  it :  '  Kisses  I  have 
met.' " 

I  had  to  laugh  again ;  Guy  certainly  had  recited 
a  list  of  kisses. 

"Chapter  One:  The  Sister's  Kiss,"  began 
Frank.  "  Chapter  Two :  The  Cousin's  Kiss. 
Chapter  Three:  The  Friend's  Kiss " 

"Chapter  Four,"  I  interposed.  "Chapter 
Four:  The  Judas  Kiss.  Chapter  Five:  The  Poli- 
tic Kiss — your  turn  now ; — Chapter  Six  ?  " 

"Chapter  Six:  The  Lover's  Kiss, — That's 
equal  to  two  chapters,  of  course." 

"  Chapter  Seven :  The  Greeting  Kiss.  Chapter 
Eight:  The  Farewell  Kiss." 

"  Chapter  Nine :  The  French  Kiss, — on  either 
cheek,  you  see,  also  equal  to  two  chapters." 

"  Chapter  Ten :  The  Hawaiian  Kiss, — in  early 
days — just  touching  noses,  you  know." 

"  Pshaw,  not  much  of  a  chapter,"  said  Frank. 
"  Chapter  Eleven :  The  Confectioner's  Kiss.'* 

"  Now  look  here,  Frank,"  I  said,  "  that  sugary 

nothing  does  not  count.  Chapter  Eleven, — let  me 
see j> 

"Chapter    Eleven?"    said    Frank,    "Chapter 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Eleven:  The  Subtle  Kiss."  And  he  looked  quite 
pleased  with  himself. 

The  subtle  kiss — subtle?  I  had  not  thought  of 
that.  And  Guy  had  certainly  not  mentioned  any- 
thing like  that  in  his  list,  comprehensive  as  it  had 
appeared  to  be.  Surely  a  subtle  kiss  was  not  usual. 
I'd  never  heard  of  one  before.  I  could  not  think 
what  it  would  be  like.  But  it  sounded  queer,  not 
exactly  safe;  it  suggested  experience.  Funny  that 
one  of  those  should  have  occurred  to  Frank,  just 
to-day. 

"  Well?  "  said  Frank.    "  Your  turn,  you  know." 

"  I've  had  enough  of  the  game,"  said  I.  "  Let's 
change  the  subject.  How  far  did  you  walk  with 
Mrs.  Kapua?" 

"  Oh,  not  much  farther  than  the  Toll  Bridge," 
said  Frank.  "  Shall  we  go  for  a  stroll?  "  he  added. 
"  Selby  will  be  coming  back ;  let's  hide." 

"  No,"  I  said  shortly,  "  I'm  tired." 

Frank  lit  another  cigarette  and  a  silence  fell 
between  us. 

It  is  remarkable  how  well  Frank  and  I  have 
always  got  along  until  we  became  engaged.  Pro- 
gression in  love  does  not  seem  to  go  like  lightning, 
unless  it  is  forked  lightning.  If  we  continue  like 
this,  will  we  get  married  at  all?  Or,  if  we  do,  where 
will  matrimony  land  us  ?  I  could  almost  hear  Frank 
giving  the  old,  unoriginal  business  excuse  for  late 
hours;  I  was  even  mad  that  he  could  not  get  up 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 


a  new  apology;  and  I  was  altogether  sure  it  was  a 
pretext.  All  I  could  think  of  in  regard  to  love  in 
a  cottage  was  the  close  proximity  of  the  kitchen. 
Before,  I  used  to  think  of  the  honeysuckle  climbing 
up  the  front  porch. 

I  had  just  decided  that  if  I  were  a  heroine,  I 
would  be  about  the  middle  of  the  book  with  my 
troubles,  when  Billy  Barker  and  Mrs.  Chandler, 
returning  from  their  walk,  stopped  beside  us,  —  per- 
haps with  a  charitable  desire  to  cheer  our  apparent 
gloom. 

"  Me  for  Sunny  Hawaii  !  "  exclaimed  Billy 
Barker,  with  an  enthusiasm  that  testified  to  the 
success  of  Mrs.  Thornton's  picnic. 

"  Fancy  the  joy  of  a  walk  through  a  real  jungle 
of  trees,  and  ferns,  and  vines,  and  not  a  snake  !  " 
said  Mrs.  Chandler,  looking  like  a  little  French 
poster  with  her  short  skirt,  coquettish  shoes,  and 
dashing  hat. 

"The  Jungle  of  Joy!"  cried  Billy  Barker. 
"How's  that?" 

Approval  was  manifested. 

"  We  are  going  to  christen  your  place,  Mrs. 
Thornton,"  said  Billy,  as  she  and  Guy  Selby  came 
towards  us,  followed  by  Ah  Lung  and  a  couple  of 
other  boys,  bearing  big  trays  of  deliciously  cool 
drinks. 

"  Oh,  where's  George  ?  We've  been  waiting  to 
find  a  suitable  name;  what  is  it?  " 

"  The  Jungle  of  Joy,—  here's  to  it!  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  The  Jungle  of  Joy — lovely ! "  said  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

"  The  Jungle  of  Joy ! "  In  vying  tones  of 
ecstasy  the  toast  was  given,  with  glasses  held  high, 
by  Mrs.  Spotfield  and  each  of  her  court,  Captain 
Bryce  and  the  others  of  his  group,  Mrs.  Kapua 
and  the  Commodore,  who  had  just  rejoined  us,  Mrs. 
Thornton,  Guy,  Frank, — : 

And  me. 


XVI. 

"Who-o-o — ,  who-o-o — ,"  called  Adrienne,  as 
she  came  through  the  garden. 

"Wh-o-o — ,  who-o-o-o — here  I  am,"  I  called 
back. 

"  I  have  come  to  tell  you  a  secret,"  said  Adri- 
enne, running  up  the  steps. 

"A  secret?     What  is  it?" 

I  was  conscious  of  a  pleasurable  sensation  wh^ch 
almost  convinced  me  I  was  still  young.  I  had  felt 
old  enough  to  be  the  mother  of  Adrienne  and  Celeste 
when,  with  Cherub  Billkins  and  Teddy  Skelton, 
they  had  returned  to  Mrs.  Thornton's  merry  pic- 
nickers, just  in  time  to  accompany  us  all  home. 
But  I  could  still  thrill  at  the  prospect  of  a  secret. 

"  Tell  me,"  I  persisted  eagerly ;  "  do  sit  down 
and  tell  me  quick;  I  am  crazy  to  hear  it." 

"  Didn't  I  say  it  was  a  secret? "  demanded 
Adrienne.  "  You  don't  expect  me  to  tell  you  here, 
do  you?  In  this  house,  with  verandas  back  and 
front?  With  everything  opening  into  every- 
where?" 

"  Oh,  Adrienne,"  I  protested,  "  you  can  whisper 
it." 

Frank  had  managed  to  whisper  the  greatest 
secret  in  the  world  to  me  here,  right  here,  in  this 
very  lanai.  "  There's  no  one  about  except  the 
Japs,"  I  continued,  "  and  Tumi  is  not  at  home." 

"  No,"  said  Adrienne  firmly,  "  I  know  this, 
house.  We  had  it  one  summer  and  Felicie  said  she 

214 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  215 

never  once  had  a  proposal  in  it.  There  was  always 
a  step  outside  at  the  critical  moment.  It  is  true 
that  sometimes  it  was  only  a  dog,  or  a  chicken; 
once  it  was  the  baby  pig  we  were  fattening  for  a 
luau,  but  a  pig  is  never  romantic,  even  if  it  is  a 
baby  pig.  Felicie  said  it  was  enough  to  discourage 
any  man,  and " 

"  But  Adrienne " 

"  Come  into  the  ocean,"  said  Adrienne,  "  it  is 
the  only  safe  place.  I  brought  my  bathing  suit; 
here  it  is." 

"Goodness!"  I  cried  disgustedly.  "I  don't 
want  to  wait  that  long." 

"  You  must.  It  won't  take  a  jiffy  without  stock- 
ings. Come  on." 

Adrienne  was  plainly  determined.  I  went  for 
the  towels  and  followed  her  across  the  lawn. 

"Well,  just  give  me  a  hint,"  I  called  from  my 
room,  when  we  were  undressing  in  the  bath-house. 

"  Once  upon  a  time  then,"  called  Adrienne  back 
from  hers,  in  the  most  approved  fairy  tale  manner, 
"  a  couple  went  for  a  stroll  and — and,  it  is  some- 
thing I  overheard  them  say  at  the  picnic." 

"  Something  you  overheard "  Adrienne  had 

gone  towards  the  Toll  Bridge,  too. 

"  Between  a  couple  you  would  never  suspect, — 
now  that  is  all  I'll  tell  you." 

It  was  enough.  My  heart  stood  still  and  then 
went  racing  ahead,  as  though  it  were  trying  to  keep 
pace  with  my  thoughts. 

Adrienne  rambled  on  in  a  sort  of  half  soliloquy 


216  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

on  the  conventions.  She  said  that  Mr.  Billkins 
aborainated  them ;  he  thought  it  was  absurd  to  wear 
stockings  in  bathing ;  he  thought  modesty  was  vague 
in  its  interpretation.  Why  was  it  improper  to  wear 
low  neck  in  the  water,  and  short  skirts  in  the  ball- 
room ? 

I  refrained  from  pointing  out  to  Adrienne  that 
seldom  did  any  one  come  to  Honolulu  who  did  not 
advance  this  idea  as  quite  original. 

Wherein  lay  the  modesty  of  such  flagrant  incon- 
sistency? That  was  the  way  Mr.  Billkins  said  it; 
well  put,  wasn't  it, — it  took  the  Navy.  Adrienne 
herself,  while  in  a  street  car  in  New  York,  one  rainy 
winter  day,  had  caught  her  umbrella  in  her  skirt 
and  pulled  it  up  farther  above  her  knees  than  she 
cared  to  recall.  In  thinking  it  over  afterwards 
though,  she  remembered  that  what  concerned  her 
most  at  the  time  was  that  she  had  on  her  woolen 
tights  instead  of  her  silk  ones.  And  she  had  quite 
forgotten  her  legs.  Oh,  Mr.  Billkins  was  certainly 
right  about  the  vagaries  of  modesty. 

I  hurried  and  got  into  the  water  first.  I  wanted 
to  be  alone  for  a  few  moments.  Once  out,  up  to  my 
neck  in  the  surf,  with  the  huge  waves  beyond  break- 
ing on  the  coral  reef  with  a  mighty  roar,  sweeping 
in  and  reaching  me  with  a  power  that  was  spent, 
with  the  great  expanse  of  wondrous  blue  ocean  about 
me,  with  the  greater  vastness  of  heaven's  blue  above 
me,  tiny  atom  of  nothing  that  I  was  in  the  scheme 
of  nature's  infinitude,  my  doubts  and  fears,  my 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  217 

hopes  and  plans,  seemed  unimportant  enough.  They 
were  unimportant.  But,  even  as  I  tried  to  convince 
myself  of  this,  I  felt  a  pang,  for  whatever  it  is  that 
makes  up  the  sum  of  our  strivings,  a  wise  provision 
has  made  them  seem  worth  while. 

"  Here  I  come."  Adrienne  was  wading  in  to- 
wards me,  balancing  herself  with  her  arms.  She  was 
approaching  slowly,  against  the  tide,  and  her  gait 
was  reminiscent  of  a  crab,  and  just  about  as  grace- 
ful. When  near  me,  she  gave  a  little  shiver,  and 
ducked.  She  came  up  dripping.  "  Promise  you 
won't  breathe  it,"  she  said,  "  I  am  engaged  to  Lieu- 
tenant Warren  Van  Altyn  Billkins." 

I  stared  at  her.  And  gradually  it  dawned  upon 
me  that  I  had  heard  the  secret. 

"  This  is  so  sudden,"  I  said  at  last. 

"  You  forget  I  have  known  him  a  whole  week," 
said  Adrienne,  with  some  dignity. 

I  kissed  her  impetuously,  and  wished  her  every 
happiness.  A  salty  kiss  it  was,  but  even  that  seemed 
sweet  to  me.  How  silly  I  had  been  not  to  have 
guessed. 

"  Well,  I  thought  his  name  was  Cherub,"  I  be- 
gan for  want  of  something  to  say ;  my  ideas  seemed 
to  have  failed  entirely. 

However,  Adrienne  did  not  need  ideas  to  start 
her,  as  she  was  full  of  the  great  news  and  all  its 
important  side  issues.  While  we  were  bobbing  up 
and  down,  with  the  ebb  and  swell  of  the  waters,  she 
told  me  it  was  a  case  of  love  at  first  sight  an<J 


218  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Cherub  had  always  said  he  hoped  it  would  be  that 
way  with  him,  when  he  met  the  right  girl.  They 
were  to  be  married  soon ;  Celeste  was  to  be  her  only 
bridesmaid;  Leonie  might  come  home  to  the  wed- 
ding ;  there  was  no  question  that  he  was  the  dearest, 
and  best,  and  handsomest,  besides  being  one  of  the 
very  finest  officers  ever  known  to  the  Service.  And 
had  I  guessed,  or  was  it  a  surprise? 

I  could  assure  her  truthfully  that  it  was  a  great 
surprise. 

Adrienne  went  on  to  say  that  she  was  determined 
to  keep  her  engagement  secret,  just  because  of  that 
little  cat  of  a  Mrs.  Spotfield.  And  when  I  asked 
what  harm  she  could  do,  Adrienne  assured  me  that 
nothing  was  impossible  in  the  way  of  mischief,  when 
a  woman  had  blonde,  and  naturally  curly,  hair. 
Adrienne  shook  some  drops  of  water  off  her  own 
sleek,  black  tresses.  The  first  time  Mrs.  Spotfield 
had  seen  Cherub  Billkins  with  Adrienne,  she  had 
remarked  to  him  that  he  was  far  from  safe,  and  that 
the  United  States  Navy  of  the  future  would  un- 
doubtedly trace  every  Admiral's  genealogical  tree 
back  to  a  Singlee. 

"  As  if  we  can  help  being  a  big  family  and  all 
girls,"  said  Adrienne,  "  I  suppose  she  thought  that 
forewarned  is  forearmed,  but  she  was  too  late  for  a 
case  of  love  at  first  sight." 

Adrienne  had  sized  Mrs.  Spotfield  up,  and  noth- 
ing I  could  say  would  change  her  opinion  of  her. 

I  thought  myself  that  Mrs.  Spotfield  was  a  type 


'A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  219 

that  had  often  before  come  to  Honolulu,  ahead  of 
other  ships,  to  await  their  uncertain  orders.  But  I 
told  Adrienne  that  perhaps  Mrs.  Spotfield  did  not 
really  intend  to  be  mean,  as  it  sometimes  appeared, 
so  why  not  give  her  the  benefit  of  the  doubt  ? 

But  Adrienne  was  very  firm  about  not  allowing 
Mrs.  Spotfield  any  benefit  whatsoever,  and  said 
there  could  be  no  mistake  about  her ;  why,  at  the  ball 
on  the  California  when  Ashton  Waller,  as  a  host, 
had  gone  off  to  introduce  some  strange  girls,  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  waltzing  by  her  as  she  sat  alone  and 
apparently  partnerless,  had  called  out :  "  Not 
dancing,  Miss  Singlee !  "  Adrienne's  expression  of 
utter  disgust  did  not  brighten  when  I  laughed. 

But  a  big  wave,  coming  along  at  the  moment, 
rolled  right  into  my  open  mouth,  and  while  I  sput- 
tered, and  choked,  and  tried  to  recover  my  breath, 
and  to  regain  my  rather  uncertain  footing,  Adri- 
enne's amusement  was  quite  as  keen  as  if  there  were 
no  Mrs.  Spotfield  at  all.  Finally  I  recovered,  and 
Adrienne  calmed  down. 

"  But,  I  am  having  my  revenge,"  she  said,  with 
what  seemed  like  any  other  sweet  seriousness  of 
purpose.  "  I  give  her  the  age  treatment." 

"For  goodness  sake,  Adrienne,  what's  that?" 
I  cried.  "  It  doesn't  sound  good  to  me." 

"  Oh,  I  just  show  her  a  deference  due  an  older 
woman.  I  stand  back  to  let  her  go  first,  help  her 
when  she  goes  up  the  ladders  on  the  California, — 
you  know,  that  sort  of  thing." 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

This  might  be  vague,  but  I  understood. 

"  She's  not  young  enough  to  be  able  to  stand 
that !  "  said  Adrienne  with  a  consoling  conviction. 

Adrienne  proceeded  to  tell  me  that  she  couldn't 
see  how  in  the  world  Billy  Barker  could  be  so  atten- 
tive to  Mrs.  Spotfield,  but  of  course  between  a  grass 
widow  and  a  married  woman,  he  was  so  entirely  safe, 
besides  having  the  time  of  his  life  while  they  dis- 
posed of  his  leisure  hours,  which  were  about  twenty- 
four  a  day. 

"  Poor  little  Celeste,"  added  Adrienne,  shaking 
her  head  sadly. 

I  looked  at  her  enquiringly. 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  fair  to  have  Honolulu  under 
the  sway  of  three  such  women  as  Mrs.  Chandler, 
Mrs.  Spotfield,  and  Mrs.  Kapua,  a  widow  and  a 
kahuna!  Do  you?  " 

Adrienne  was  waiting  for  my  answer,  so  1 
assured  her  I  did  not. 

"What  chance  is  there  for  poor  little  Celeste 
against  such  a  trio?  "  demanded  Adrienne. 

I  could  only  show,  by  my  sympathy,  that  I 
appreciated  the  prospect  of  struggle  ahead  for  poor 
little  Celeste. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  Adrienne,  "  that  after  the 
Commodore  goes,  Mrs.  Kapua  will  be  idle,  and  that 
will  be  in  November  and  about  the  time  that  Celeste 
will  be  coming  out." 

Adrienne  paused  to  let  me  digest  the  enormity 
of  this,  and  I  murmured  my  sympathy  once  more. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Mrs.  Kapua  will  naturally  take  a  ship,"  con- 
tinued Adrienne. 

I  could  not  help  smiling,  although  goodness 
knows  there  was  nothing  funny  about  it  in  reality. 

"  She's  handsome,  of  course,"  said  Adrienne, 
"  but  it  is  not  her  beauty ;  it  is  her  kahuna  power. 
The  rest  of  us  can  only  be  anxious  and  wear  our 
best  clothes,  but  she  gets  busy  and  prays  a  man 
to  love ;  it's  taking  an  unfair  advantage,  that's  what 
it  is.  What  chance  is  there  against  that?  There's 
no  use  fighting  a  kahuna  of  love." 

"  But  Adrienne,  it  is  all  nonsense."  This 
sounded  unconvincing  enough.  "  It's  just  supersti- 
tion." 

"  And  as  we  know,  she  never  fails,"  continued 
Adrienne.  "  You  remember  how  it  was  before  the 
Commodore  came?  There  was  Admiral  Todley, 
and  Captain  Bates,  and  Lieutenant  Comman- 
der  " 

"  Well,  at  least  it  is  better  than  praying  to 
death,"  I  interposed,  a  noticeable  lack  of  decision 
lingering  in  my  voice. 

"  It  is  true  that  either  way  you  lose  him," 
Adrienne  acceded  sadly. 

Our  subject  was  uncanny,  still  I  laughed  at  this 
and  Adrienne  joined  in.  But  not  heartily.  She 
was  a  good  sister  and  she  could  not  forget  her  con- 
cern for  Celeste. 

For  my  part,  I  became  lost  in  conjecture.  If 
praying  to  death  was  accomplished  by  influencing 


222  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  victim's  mind  to  such  an  extent  that  he  would 
give  up  and  die,  just  because  there  was  some  one 
wishing  he  would,  I  wondered  if  praying  to  love 
was  brought  about  in  the  same  manner.  Why  had 
I  not,  then,  in  my  way,  prayed  Frank  to  love  ?  Per- 
haps there  was  many  an  unconscious  pair  of  lovers 
that  had  prayed  each  other  into  plighting  their  troth 
that  never  knew  about  kahunas  at  all.  Maybe — 

"  The  only  way  is  to  give  him  up  gracefully 
before  she  puts  on  her  red  gown  and  takes  him," 
said  Adrienne. 

"  Oh  dear,  let's  forget  Mrs.  Kapua,"  I  said 
somewhat  impatiently. 

"  But  we  can't,  you  know,"  said  Adrienne,  with 
a  mournful  conviction. 

She  patted  the  little  waves,  as  they  danced  along 
between  us,  sparkling  merrily,  chasing  each  other 
untiringly,  running  playfully  before  a  variable 
breeze  that  brought  with  it  smells  of  the  sea,  of  fish, 
and  seaweed,  and  the  salt  freshness  that  came  in 
whiffs  from  afar. 

I  shivered,  although  the  waters  were  so  warm, 
and  we  swam  out  a  bit  and  back  again,  for  the 
exercise. 

"  And,"  said  Adrienne,  regaining  her  footing 
after  considerable  splashing,  but  not  waiting  to 
recover  her  breath,  "  and  it  is  about  time  for  Mrs. 
Kapua  to  stop  using  all  her  Jcahunaism  for  love  and 
work  it  to  find  Mrs.  Thornton's  diamonds." 

"  I  think  so,  too,"  I  said. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  223 

"That    little    cat    of    a    Mrs.    Spotfield,    you 


I  knew. 

"Well,  she  said  to  Billy  Barker,  right  before 
me,  that  both  the  Commodore  and  Frank  Alden  must 
naturally  feel  uncomfortable  until  the  diamonds 
were  found,  in  spite  of  the  Commodore's  wealth, 
and  as  for  the  Commodore's  wife,  when  she  stopped 
to  remember  that  she  had  a  husband  at  all,  she 
probably  felt  uncomfortable  too.  But  Billy  Barker 
said  this  showed  a  memory  was  not  all  that  it  was 
cracked  up  to  be,  and  he  added  :  '  I'm  so  glad  that 
you  don't  tie  a  string  around  your  finger,  Mrs. 
Spotfield.'  I  held  my  breath  really,  but  Mrs.  Spot- 
field  actually  laughed  and  seemed  to  take  it  as  a 
compliment  ;  did  you  ever  !  " 

"  Did  —  did  she  say  anything  else  about  the 
diamonds  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  she  talked  on  in  that  playful  way,  you 
know,  as  if  she  were  still  a  kitten.  So  Cherub  and 
I  have  decided  not  to  tell  of  our  engagement  until 
we  invite  Mrs.  Spotfield  to  the  wedding.  Cherub 
agrees  with  me  that  the  shorter  the  time  she  has  to 
play  with  our  characters,  the  better." 

"  Let's  get  out,"  I  said  suddenly  ;  "  I'm  cold." 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  gossip  was  going 
a  little  too  far.  It  must  have  reached  an  alarming 
stage  indeed,  when  a  stranger  in  our  midst  would 
dare  even  imply  that  a  man  like  Frank,  a  man  known 
to  the  community  from  boyhood,  a  respected  citizen, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

could  be  uneasy,  could  conceive  of  the  possibility 
of  his  name  being  connected  with  a  theft.  It  was 
preposterous.  Yet  it  was  disquieting. 

Mrs.  Thornton  had  suggested  a  way.  It  was 
time  to  take  that  way.  Frank  did  not  know,  and  he 
must  not  know,  the  reason, — such  a  reason, — for 
announcing  our  engagement.  But  I  must  act.  Ro- 
mance and  secrecy  were  not  for  us.  I  determined 
to  have  a  serious  talk  with  Frank  and  have  every- 
thing settled.  I  almost  felt  as  if  I  couldn't  get 
dressed  in  time  for  it,  I  was  in  such  a  hurry. 

Adrienne  took  somewhat  longer  and  when  she 
joined  me  in  the  lanai,  she  looked  as  fresh  and  un- 
mussed  as  if  she  had  just  stepped  out  of  a  band- 
box. That  is  one  of  the  Singlee  charms.  They 
always  look  like  that.  Their  perfect  belts,  and 
collars,  their  spotless  white  dresses,  their  sleek  hair, 
and  altogether  fresh  and  dainty  appearance,  never 
fails,  no  matter  what  the  circumstances.  At  a 
picnic,  or  a  ball,  on  a  dry  day,  or  a  muddy  one,  It 
is  all  the  same  to  the  Singlees. 

I  put  my  arm  around  Adrienne,  as  she  was  leav- 
ing, and  I  suppose  my  heart  was  in  my  voice  when 
I  said: 

"  I  hope  there  will  be  no  cloud  to  shadow  your 
engagement,  dear." 

Adrienne  clung  to  me,  and  said  fervently : 

"Not  if  I  see  her  first!" 

Adrienne  had  pluck;  she  would  not  fail  in  the 
application.  But  of  course  Mrs.  Spotfield  was  mere 
woman. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

It  seemed  a  long  time  before  Frank  came.  I 
did  not  ask  what  had  detained  him.  Instead,  I 
said  that  anticipation  had  grown  to  be  so  beautiful, 
that  I  could  not  think  him  late.  And  I  gave  him 
a  cup  of  tea. 

For  I  had  decided  that  there  might  be  more 
ways  of  praying  a  man  to  love  than  I  had  ever 
dreamt  of  before  I  needed  philosophy,  "  feeding 
the  brute  "  being  one  of  them. 

Frank  was  fairly  beaming,  but  I  was  fast  sink- 
ing into  a  gloom  so  hopeless  that  it  could  be  trace- 
able only  to  conscience,  or  indigestion.  I  traced  it 
easily  enough  and  knew  that  I  could  have  been  cheer- 
ful even  with  ptomaine  poisoning,  in  comparison 
with  the  stings  that  had  assailed  me  now.  I  didn't 
like  my  borrowed  methods ;  I  couldn't  bear  to  play 
a  part  with  Frank.  I  was  deliberately  working  to 
get  him  into  a  resistless,  and  putty-like  state. 
There's  a  nice  line  drawn  between  the  tactful  and 
the  smooth,  and  I  felt  as  if  I'd  lost  the  line.  What 
was  the  reason  for  all  this  subterfuge  anyway? 

So,  when  Frank  asked  me  why  I  was  so  pensive, 
I  told  him  I  did  not  like  the  idea  of  a  secret  engage- 
ment. 

Frank  said  all  engagements  started  by  being 
secret. 

I  conceded  that  this  was  true,  but  ours  was  quite 
an  old  story. 

And  Frank  said  that  love  was  always  the  same, 
old  story. 

It  was  plain  we  were  arriving  nowhere. 
15 


226  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"Frank,"  I  said,  in  a  sort  of  cuddling  tone,  a 
combination  of  lightness,  and  playfulness,  "  I'm 
ready  to  announce  our  engagement  now ;  so  we  will 
if  you  like,  shall  we?  " 

"  No,"  said  Frank.  "  Certainly  not.  Not  now." 
And  I  was  conscious  of  the  firmness  of  his  tone. 

Of  all  the  responses  that  entered  my  head,  each 
seemed  more  undignified  than  the  one  before.  It  was 
quite  impossible  for  me  to  plead  for  an  announce- 
ment which  any  lover  ought  to  be  proud,  and  im- 
patient, to  make.  Why  did  Frank  want,  why  did 
he  even  tolerate  this  secrecy  ? 

I  remained  silent. 

"  We  can  be  as  true  to  each  other,  if  no  one 
knows  we  are  engaged,"  said  Frank.  "  I  have  no 
patience  with  the  idea  that  publicity  makes  a  tie 
more  binding." 

"  I  am  not  trying  to  get  a  hold  on  you,  you 
know,"  I  said  with  a  laugh  that  might  be  called 
modulated,  or  perhaps  calculated;  it  was  quite 
musical — though  brief. 

Frank  laughed  too,  and  assured  me  that  I  could 
not  get  hold  of  him  that  way. 

I  remarked  that  I  supposed  an  engagement  could 
hold  him. 

He  replied  that  it  could  not; — only  love  could 
hold  him.  If  the  love  ceased,  the  engagement  would, 
or  should. 

"  An  engagement  is  a  term  of  probation,"  said 
Frank,  "  and  it  is  that  when  it  is  public,  as  well 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

as  when  it  is  not.  If  you  take  pleasure  in  the 
society  of  another,  if  he  could  interest  you, — why 
not  quite  as  much  when  the  world  knows  you  are 
not  free?  I  certainly  would  not  wish  to  have  it 
known  that  you  were  engaged  to  me  for  the  purpose 
of  terminating  the  attentions  of  a  man  like  Selby, 
for  instance.  If  it  amuses  you  to  listen  to  him,  I 
am  more  than  willing." 

I  was  conscious  of  the  first  glow  since  my  swim. 

"  An  engagement  should  be  sacred,"  said  Frank. 
"  It  can  be  so  only  if  there  is  perfect  trust — and 
that  trust  is  not  tried  too  far." 

The  tables  were  certainly  turning;  I  assented 
sweetly  and  added :  "  Up  to  a  certain  point,  of 
course." 

"  What  point?  "  demanded  Frank. 

His  tone  suggested  a  dagger's  point,  and  it  took 
me  a  moment  to  adjust  my  line  of  argument.  "  Up 
to  the  point  of  blinding  oneself ;  one  should  of  course 
keep  one's  poise.  One  should  not  get  past  the  stage 
of  being  able  to  see  the  attraction  of  another  man." 

Frank  got  up  and  paced  the  floor. 

"  If  you  go  hunting  for  an  attraction,"  he  said 
at  last,  with  a  lightness  quite  elaborate,  "  you  are 
apt  to  meet  an  affinity." 

"  That's  it,"  I  assented,  in  a  tone  replete  with 
the  satisfaction  of  being  understood. 

Frank  looked  at  me,  and  I  returned  the  look. 

We  talked  about  the  weather. 

At  last,  having  agreed  to  accept  the  statement 


228  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

of  the  weath3r-man,  in  spite  of  any  lingering  doubt 
either  of  us  might  have  harbored,  this  subject  was 
exhausted. 

Frank  consulted  his  watch  and  said  he  had 
to  keep  track  of  the  time,  as  he  was  going  on 
the  Gelda  to  a  poker  game. 

"  I've  never  had  a  chance  to  be  there  when  a 
game  was  on.  The  Commodore  doesn't  ask  me  to 
play,  of  course ;  money  is  an  important  factor,  when 
you  play  with  him,  and  it  is  not  hard  to  find  out 
who  has  wealth  in  Honolulu." 

Frank  was  warming  to  his  subject.  After  all, 
he  had  a  good  disposition.  This  was  being  really 
generous.  He  was  jealous  and  I  had  not  tried  to 
make  him  less  so.  I  had  not  been  nice.  But  he  was 
magnanimous.  I  would  be  too. 

"Well,  there's  one  thing  sure,  Frank,"  I  said, 
"  there's  no  harm  done,  as  the  Chandlers  ask  only 
the  rich  to  play." 

"  No  doubt  it  is  soothing  to  the  conscience  to  rob 
only  those  who  can  afford  it,"  said  Frank. 

I  shook  my  finger  at  him.  "  That's  putting  it 
too  strong!  If  the  Commodore  is  so  clever  an 
opponent  that  he  is  almost  sure  to  win,  no  one  is 
forced  to  join  in  his  game." 

Frank  said  nothing  further.  And  I  did  not 
speak  either;  I  just  enjoyed  feeling  that  we  were 
once  more  in  accord. 

"  But  you  say  you  are  not  invited  to  play ;  how 
are  you  going?  "  I  asked,  as  the  thought  struck  me. 

"  Oh,  Mrs.  Kapua  is  going  to  take  me,"  he  said. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

A  few  moments  later,  Frank  and  I  parted  rather 
coldly. 

I  began  to  believe  I  was  jealous  of  Mrs.  Kapua. 
Jealousy  was  so  new  to  me  that  I  hadn't  really  rec- 
ognized it  before.  True,  there  wasn't  much  cause 
before.  Now  that  the  cause  was  so  apparent,  I  was 
beginning  to  see  the  effect,  that  was  all.  I  might 
as  well  look  the  position  square  in  the  face.  Frank 
was  attentive  to  Mrs.  Kapua,  although  engaged  to 
me.  He  did  not  want  to  announce  our  engagement. 
There  were  two  distinct,  and  indisputable  facts. 
Why  Frank  should  wish  for  secrecy  when  most  men 
are  crazy  to  shout  their  happiness  from  the  house 
tops,  I  could  of  course  only  conjecture.  But  my 
jealousy  of  Mrs.  Kapua  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 
inevitable  conclusion.  Calm  reason,  and  good  com- 
mon sense,  would  sift  it  to  the  same  result.  This 
being  beyond  dispute,  what  was  I  to  do  ? 

Frank  was  in  danger  and  I  had  it  in  my  power 
to  save,  or  at  least  to  help  him.  But  it  would  be 
at  a  sacrifice  of  my  pride,  and  my  dignity.  I  could 
not  lower  myself  so  far  as  to  beg  him  to  acknowl- 
edge that  he  belonged  to  me,  in  the  face  of  his 
plainly  spoken  objections. 

I  recalled  the  objections;  they  had  seemed  such 
lovely  ones.  But  now  they  appeared  to  be  just  one, 
alas !  lovely  too, — and  a  kahuna!  Not  being  super- 
stitious, I  do  not  exactly  believe  in  Jcahunas  myself, 
but  the  doubt  of  one  skeptic  like  me  could  not 
weaken  her  sway. 

Well  then,  to  sum  it  up,  I  was  jealous.    But  with 


230  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

cause.  I  was  not  blindly  jealous,  because  I  was  able 
to  see  that  it  might  be  all  her  fault.  Mrs.  Kapua 
is  descended  from  a  time  when,  history  tells  us,  her 
ancestors  were  careless  children  of  nature.  This 
used  to  sound  quite  attractive  to  me — as  history. 
With  child-like  candor  they  had  loved  where  they 
pleased,  and  as  often.  I,  as  an  adopted  daughter 
of  the  Islands,  knew  my  rival — a  real  daughter. 
And  I  knew  that  to-day,  when  convention  has  modi- 
fied the  easy  pliability  of  earlier  times,  her  fascina- 
tion is  but  the  more  potent,  and  the  more  lasting. 

I  could  be  liberal  up  to  a  certain  degree;  I  had 
been  liberal  with  Frank.  His  life  began,  for  me, 
when  he  became  engaged  to  me.  All  before  that, 
was  his  own.  I  had  no  sympathy  with  a  jealousy 
of  the  past,  I  had  no  right  to  question  it ;  and  if  I 
had  assumed  the  right,  I  should  have  done  so  with 
the  conviction  that  it  was  only  prying.  But  the 
present  was  different;  it  was  mine. 

I  rose  from  the  hammock  in  which  I  had  been 
swinging,  and  went  to  my  room.  I  shut  the  door 
and  looked  long,  and  hard,  in  the  mirror,  a  triple 
mirror,  movable  in  each  of  its  three  divisions  to 
insure  the  perfect  portrayal  of  each  bad,  or  good, 
point.  I  saw  only  the  bad  ones.  I  left  the  mirror 
and  hastened  to  remind  myself  that  there  was 
always  magnetism  to  fall  back  on,  and  inner  quali- 
ties unknown  to  a  triple  mirror. 

But,  my  mind  did  not  linger  on  these.  For  I 
began  to  think  of  Mrs.  Kapua,  her  voice,  her  eyes, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  231 

her  grace — her  very  name:  Leialoha,  Wreath  of 
Love,  as  though  to  sum  up  the  total  of  her  charm, 
a  charm  that  was  not  to  be  denied.  I  could  see  it ; 
why  shouldn't  Frank? 

Still,  why  not  believe  that  she  was  a  temporary 
infatuation  of  Frank's, — perhaps  only  a  fancy. 

Suddenly,  I  remembered  all  the  years  when 
Frank  had  seemed  to  care  for  me  alone,  and  for 
Mrs.  Kapua,  or  any  one  else,  not  at  all.  I  gazed  at 
my  beautiful  ring ;  its  sparkle  was  constant.  Inani- 
mate as  it  was,  by  the  very  nature  of  its  worth,  it 
was  unchangeable  and  true;  it  was  a  symbol.  And 
yet,  I  had  doubted  Frank,  constant  and  loyal  though 
he  had  ever  been.  And  at  the  first  provocation. 
I  had  never  questioned  his  devotion  to  me  before. 
Now,  when  he  needed  me,  was  I  to  fail  him?  I 
thought  of  that  need.  How  great  it  was,  and  how 
little  he  realized  it.  If  Mrs.  Thornton's  diamonds 
were  never  found,  would  he  perhaps  always  linger 
under  a  cloud?  My  own  diamonds  seemed  to  an- 
swer :  "  Yes."  A  hard,  short,  decisive  yes. 

If  Frank  were  in  the  danger  I  feared  for  him, 
why  had  I  not  been  afraid  to  wear  these  valuable 
stones,  his  gift?  Why  had  I  not  considered  the 
possibility  of  a  suspicion  concerning  their  purchase? 
It  had  never  occurred  to  me  that  an  unjust  world 
could  lay  up  evidence  so  false,  because  I  had  been 
so  wrapped  up  in  my  own  small,  jealous  worries. 
I  was  ready  to  blame  the  prejudiced  Public  for  dar- 
ing to  doubt  his  honesty  and  yet  I,  the  woman  he 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

loved  and  who  loved  him,  had  suspected  him  of 
something  quite  as  unworthy.  In  other  words,  I 
was  no  more  true  to  Frank,  or  his  interests,  than  the 
merest  acquaintance.  And,  after  all,  what  had  he 
done?  Had  he  spent  more  time  with  Mrs.  Kapua 
than  I  had  with  Guy  Selby?  Was  she  more  dan- 
gerous in  my  estimation  than  Guy  Was  in  his  ? 

Resolutely  I  put  Mrs.  Kapua  and  all  thought 
of  her  varied  attractions  aside,  and  replaced  the 
consciousness  of  their  power  with  a  determined  trust 
in  my  own,  after  all  the  greatest  power  in  the 
world — the  power  of  love.  Through  that  power  I 
could,  and  I  would,  shield  the  man  I  loved  from 
slander. 

How  far  the  slander  had  gone,  I  could  only 
surmise,  but  Mrs.  Thornton  would  help  me  ferret 
out  the  worst.  I  could  depend  on  her.  She  would  be 
likely  to  hear,  more  than  any  one  else,  everything 
in  connection  with  her  loss ;  and  she  would  advise 
me  with  a  real  interest  in  Frank's  welfare. 

I  took  a  long,  a  deep  breath.  With  the  force 
of  my  reasoning,  I  had  been  able  to  shake  jealousy 
to  its  very  foundation.  I  could  already  see  it 
totter,  and  fall.  Being  just  human,  I  felt  that  it 
would  be  good  to  shake  Mrs.  Kapua  herself,  but  of 
course  metaphorically  too. 

I  was  no  longer  jealous  of  Frank.  But  I  still 
appreciated  Mrs.  Kapua. 


XVII. 

MRS.  THORNTON  was  sitting  in  her  lanai,  with 
a  big  blank  book  on  her  knee.  She  explained  to  me, 
with  some  pride,  her  mefhod  of  book-keeping  and 
told  me  that  George  had  said  she  should  be  a  Queen 
of  Finance. 

Under  headings  of  luncheons,  dinners,  picnics, 
suppers,  breakfasts,  teas,  swimming  parties,  in  fact 
any  and  every  function  possible  to  a  hostess,  she 
had  arranged  various  menus  for  stipulated  num- 
bers of  guests  and  annexed  comprehensive  lists  for 
the  butcher,  the  grocer,  the  baker,  and  all  other 
tradesmen  who  might  be  called  upon  to  contribute 
their  wares  to  the  feasts.  She  further  informed 
me  that  so  systematized  were  her  entertainments, 
that  she  could  even  gauge  each  invited  appetite,  if 
not  exactly  individually,  at  least  generically.  She 
knew  when  beer  was  advisable,  and  whether  by  the 
pint  or  the  keg,  when  champagne  was  to  flow,  or  to 
pour,  and  when  temperance  and  mineral  waters  were 
apt  to  be  in  the  ascendant.  With  an  intuitive  appli- 
cation, she  fitted  the  entree  to  the  consumer,  from 
frogs'  legs  to  minced-any-old-thing  in  shells.  She 
had  learned  where  to  be  generous  with  plover  and 
who  would  never  think  the  wild  duck  from  the  Coast 
under-done.  She  had  decided  that  floral  decorations 
should  reflect  the  spirit  of  the  occasion  and  that 
forget-me-nots  and  baby  roses  for  a  native  feast 
would  be  as  out  of  place  as  the  scarlet  poinciana,  or 

233 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  tropical  bougainvillaea,  for  a  debutante  lunch. 
She  turned  the  pages,  and  each  was  an  inspiration. 

It  really  was  not  an  inappropriate  moment  to 
tell  her  that  I  was  engaged  to  Frank,  for  it  was  as 
much  the  aesthetic  as  the  material  that  absorbed 
her  interest  and,  above  all,  was  an  element  of  ro- 
mance, her  incentive  being  her  husband's  admiration 
for  her  business  methods. 

It  took  Mrs.  Thornton  an  instant  to  catch  my 
meaning.  I  could  see  the  understanding  creep  into 
her  pretty  eyes,  as  they  grew  brighter,  and  bluer, 
and  softer.  She  threw  down  the  book  and  took  me 
in  her  arms, — oh,  so  gently,  different  from  the  usual 
way,  different  from  any  way  I'd  ever  known.  I 
could  think  of  nothing  but  a  mother's  brooding, 
tender  love. 

"  Oh,  my  dear,  my  dear — I  knew  it  was  only 
the  lack  of  money  that  kept  you  apart,"  she  said, 
with  a  pleased  little  laugh. 

I  leaned  my  head  against  her  and  I  felt  as  if 
the  accumulation  of  tears  that  had  been  lurking 
restrained  about  my  jealous  imaginings,  tears  that 
I  had  been  too  proud  to  shed,  were  crowding  up  into 
my  eyes. 

"  I'll  give  a  dinner  to  announce  it,"  said  Mrs. 
Thornton  at  last,  as  I  mopped  my  eyes  and  told 
her  how  happy  I  was. 

"  Not  now ;  we're  not  going  to  announce  it  yet," 
I  said. 

"  Not  going  to  announce  it !  "  cried  Mrs.  Thorn- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  235 

ton.  "  Oh,  where  is  all  my  good  advice?  What  on 
earth  are  you  going  to  keep  it  a  secret  for,  when 
its  design  is  to  afford  an  object  lesson  to  the  popu- 
lation? » 

I  didn't  care  much  for  the  word  design,  but  I 
didn't  stop  to  argue  that. 

"Have  you  heard  anything  more?  Any  talk, 
gossip,  slander, — anything  that  could  possibly  hurt 
Frank?  "  I  asked  anxiously,  coming  without  further 
delay  to  the  real  ob j  ect  of  my  visit.  "  There 
wouldn't  be  much  said  about  him  before  me,  I  sup- 
pose,— we've  always  been  such  friends, — but  you, 
you  would  be  more  likely  to  hear  things.  Have 
you?  Tell  me,  please  tell  me;  I  don't  want  to  be 
kept  in  the  dark,  if  people  are  talking  about  the 
man  I  am  going  to  marry." 

"Don't  worry,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton,  "I've 
heard  nothing  worth  repeating;  I've  caught  the 
merest  hints,  here  and  there,  that's  all.  And  per- 
haps I've  imagined  harm  where  none  has  been  in- 
tended, just  because  I  am  constantly  on  the  watch 
nowadays,  as  you  are.  Either  you,  or  I,  would 
scent  danger  even  before  it  threatened." 

"  That's  so,"  I  murmured,  somewhat  comforted. 

"  On  the  other  hand,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton,  "  on 
the  other  hand,  there's  sure  to  be  plenty  of  gossip 
going  on  that  doesn't  reach  me.  We  must  remember 
that  we  are  not  the  only  clique  in  Honolulu,  small 
as  the  town  may  be." 

"  I  do  remember ;  there  are  lots  of  calls  I  should 


236  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

have  paid  for  the  sake  of  diplomacy,"  I  said  regret- 
fully. "  I  used  to  have  two  pages  of  Bs,  for  in- 
stance, and  now  I  have  only  six  Bs  altogether,  and 
one  of  those  is  the  Basiltons,  who  have  gone.  I 
suppose  all  the  others  are  down  on  me." 

"  Scratch  not  your  visiting  list,  lest  you  be 
scratched,"  rejoined  Mrs.  Thornton  promptly. 
"  Well,  it  is  a  good  thing  to  realize  we  are  in  the 
hands  of  our  bowing  acquaintances,  so  we  can,  at 
least,  cultivate  a  cordial  bow.  Take  my  advice 
though ;  announce  your  engagement  and  start  a  dis- 
cussion on  different  lines.  Give  people  an  excuse  to 
calculate  your  age,  and  let  them  do  their  worst  on 
that.  After  they  have  threshed  out  your  years  and 
added  a  few,  and  discussed  Frank's  bank  account 
and  subtracted  some,  then  you  and  he  can  settle 
down  into  happiness  and  obscurity." 

"  Oh,  don't  joke,"  I  pleaded. 

"  But  I  am  not  joking,  my  dear." 

"  I — we — don't  care  to  have  it  get  out  just  yet. 
I,  I  mean  we, — we  are  going  to  wait  until  we  know 
when  we  are  to  be  married." 

A  marked  shadow  of  disapproval  settled  like 
a  cloud  over  Mrs.  Thornton's  expressive  face.  She 
said  nothing  for  a  moment.  And  then  very  quietly : 
"  Of  course  you  know  your  own  business  best." 

"  You  have  heard  something ! "  I  cried,  with 
quickly  aroused  apprehension. 

"No,  really, — nothing  new;  but  the  conditions 
are  the  same;  whether  we  exaggerate  them  or  not, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  237 

there  is  at  least  no  reason  for  secrecy;  it's  not  like 
you  to  want  it.  It  is  not  like  you  to  flirt  with 
another  man,  as  you  are  unmistakably  doing,  when 
your  promise  has  been  given,  unless  you  are  having 
a  good  time  and  don't  want  it  to  stop.  But,  it's  in 
the  air;  frivolity  and  lightness  float  in  it,  in  the 
languor,  and  softness,  and  perfume,  and  warmth. 
We're  too  lazy  to  resist  and  we  bask  in  the  sunshine 
of  life  and  bloom  into  flowers  of  ease ;  then  a  butter- 
fly, like  Guy  Selby,  hovers  into  view."  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton shrugged  her  shoulders. 

My  eyes  filled  with  tears.  "  Oh,  do  you  really 
think  that  of  me?  "  I  cried. 

But  I  could  not  stay  hurt,  for  Mrs.  Thornton's 
repentance  was  quick  and  genuine. 

"  No,"  she  said.  "  No,  I  don't  really  think  that 
of  you ;  forgive  me,  dear.  It  did  cross  my  mind  to 
suspect  you  and  then  what  I  was  saying  sounded 
so  good  to  me  that  I  kept  on."  She  laughed  and 
patted  my  hand.  "Why,  I  flirt  with  Guy  Selby 
myself,"  she  added.  "  He's  a  fascinating,  irre- 
sistible love  of  a  boy,  but  I  don't  believe  he's  touched 
your  heart,  or  even  your  vanity,  or  that  he  has  any- 
thing whatever  to  do  with  the  secret  engagement. 
So,  let's  forget  him.  And  now  tell  me  all  about  it." 

I  forgot  my  troubles  in  the  recital  of  my  happi- 
ness. I  introduced  Mrs.  Thornton  to  Frank's 
many  virtues,  as  if  she  had  never  met  Frank  himself. 
Her  ready  sympathy  drew  me  on,  and  on,  and  finally 
in  the  pleasure  of  showing  her  my  ring  which  I  had 


238  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

brought  with  me,  and  listening  to  her  admiring  com- 
ments, I  even  forgot  that  I  had  ever  floated  off 
the  rosy  cloud  of  Frank's  dream  into  a  gray  mist 
of  my  own. 

It  was  very  easy  up  to  a  certain  point,  but  when 
it  came  to  explaining  the  secrecy,  which  sounded 
after  all  like  school-girl  folly,  and  repeating  Frank's 
pleas  in  favor  of  romance,  I  faltered,  and  after  a 
few  hesitating  words  my  voice  died  away  in  silence. 
I  felt  like  a  hypocrite;  it  seemed  but  a  half  confi- 
dence I  was  giving;  Mrs.  Thornton  was  too  true 
a  friend  for  me  not  to  be  perfectly  honest;  still  I 
could  not  do  Frank  such  an  injustice  as  to  confide 
my  jealous  suspicions, — besides  they  were  in  the 
past. 

"  Frank  is  perfectly  right !  "  cried  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton, a  tender  note  in  her  voice,  a  softening  mist  in 
her  blue  eyes.  "Enjoy  your  beautiful  romance 
while  you  may;  it  is  a  time  in  a  girl's  life  that  can 
never  come  again." 

I  looked  up  in  some  surprise;  this  was  certainly 
a  change  of  front. 

"  Well,  now  you  can  have  Frank  all  to  yourself," 
she  said  in  explanation ;  "  but  all  the  world  loves  a 
lover,  you  know." 

I  couldn't  help  thinking  that  there  might  be 
safety  in  numbers,  however  I  hastened  to  sayi 

"  Oh,  inconsistency  thy  name  is  woman !  Are 
the  conditions  not  still  the  same?" 

"Yes,  but  there   is   another   side,"   said  Mrs. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  239 

Thornton,  "  we  may  be  making  a  mountain  out  of 
a  mole  hill.  The  situation  is  just  this:  Frank  and 
the  Commodore  were  with  me  when  I  lost  my  pin. 
I  know  it  was  only  lost ;  so  do  you.  There  is,  how- 
ever, some  question  of  it  being  stolen  and  we  will 
admit,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  either  of  the 
two  men  with  me,  at  the  time  of  its  disappearance, 
might  be  suspected.  The  Commodore's  wealth  and 
high  standing,  is  pitted  against  Frank's  popularity. 
Of  course  the  chances  are  not  even,  popularity  being 
an  uncertain  quality.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
Frank  is  too  well  known  amongst  us  for  people  to 
come  out  openly  with  an  accusation  of  such  a 
nature.  Therefore,  if  there  are  insinuations,  as  we 
suspect,  they  are  likely  to  remain  covert.  Although 
unpleasant,  this  is  not  serious.  There's  absolutely 
no  evidence  against  Frank,  and  if  there  should  be 
any  one  to  hunt  up  trouble  for  him,  there  is  no  one 
to  prosecute,  so  the  affair  would  die  a  natural  death. 
If  my  pin  is  never  found,  the  whole  matter  will  be 
forgotten — except  by  ourselves  of  course — it's  a 
nine  days'  wonder." 

«  But "  I  began. 

"  It's  true,"  Mrs.  Thornton  interposed,  "  it's 
true  I  did  think  it  might  go  too  far  to  be  comfort- 
able, and  I  thought  your  engagement  might  inter- 
rupt any  possible  slander  and  divert  interest  in 
Frank  into  another  and  more  pleasant  channel.  But, 
I've  heard  nothing  further.  Mrs.  Kapua  seems 
really  fond  of  Frank,  and  would  do  him  no  harm, 


240  A  JEWEL  OP  THE  SEAS 

I'm  sure,  and  I  really  see  no  reason  for  you  to  be 
forced  into  spoiling  your  romance  yet;  there's  time 
enough." 

I  moved  uncomfortably.  An  insistent,  cloying 
sweetness,  of  which  I  had  been  half  conscious  all  the 
time,  hung  upon  the  air  and  seemed  to  have  per- 
meated insidiously  every  pore  of  my  being,  until  it 
was  like  a  subtle  poison  at  work.  I  looked  around. 
A  lei  of  ylang  ylang  was  tied  about  one  of  the  posts 
of  the  lanai. 

Mrs.  Thornton  followed  my  glance. 

"  Sweet,  isn't  it?  "  she  commented.  "  So  many 
of  the  native  girls  were  selling  ylang  ylang  this 
morning;  it  must  be  at  the  height  of  its  bloom." 

I  refrained  from  telling  her  that  I  hated  the 
perfume.  But  I  did  say  that  I  thought  it  somewhat 
too  strong  for  good  taste,  and  I  really  did  not  see 
how  Mrs.  Kapua  could  wear  it,  as  she  did. 

Mrs.  Thornton  agreed  that  it  was  certainly 
tropical. 

"  I  propose  that  we  go  to  see  Mrs.  Kapua  and 
try  to  find  out,  from  her,  what  people  are  saying," 
she  continued.  "  She  knows  every  one  and  if  there's 
anything  going  on,  she  always  hears  it  first." 

This  struck  me  as  a  good  idea,  and  I  brightened 
up.  I  had  felt  far  from  satisfied,  although  Mrs. 
Thornton's  arguments  had  been  reassuring.  I  had 
been  quieted  for  a  moment  only.  Mrs.  Spotfield's 
remark  was  rankling  and  I  repeated  to  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton what  she  had  said  about  Frank  being  uneasy 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

until  the  diamonds  were  recovered;  it  did  seem  as 
if  insinuation  could  go  no  farther. 

Mrs.  Thornton's  eyes  flashed,  and  she  rose  to 
her  feet,  determination  in  every  movement. 

"  Come  on !  "  she  said,  in  a  tone  that  suggested : 
"  My  kingdom  for  a  horse !  " 

"  Shan't  we  telephone  to  see  if  she  is  at  home?  " 
I  asked. 

"  Certainly  not,"  she  replied,  with  ^decision ; 
66  that  would  attach  far  too  much  importance  to  our 
visit;  we  don't  want  her  to  think,  for  a  moment, 
that  we  are  in  the  slightest  concerned.  We  will 
drop  in  and  introduce  our  subject  casually;  if  she's 
out,  we  can  go  again." 

It  didn't  take  Mrs.  Thornton  long  to  put  on  her 
hat  and  to  leave  a  message  with  Suki,  for  Mr. 
Thornton,  to  say  where  she  had  gone.  But,  when 
she  was  ready,  she  remembered  that  she  had  not 
ordered  the  carriage,  and  the  automobile  was  in  the 
garage  for  repairs. 

"  We  will  walk,"  she  said.  "  It  is  not  too  far; 
we'll  take  the  short  cut." 

The  short  cut  led  us  to  the  back  entrance  of 
Mrs.  Kapua's  house,  but  it  was  quite  as  usual  to 
enter  that  way  and  walk  through  her  garden  to  the 
lanai,  as  to  use  the  front  gate.  In  fact,  like  most 
of  our  houses,  it  could  be  approached  from  north, 
south,  east,  or  west.  I  have  often  wondered  what 
kind  of  a  sentinel  poor  Sister  Anne  would  have 
made  in  Honolulu;  she  would  have  required  an 
16 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

assistant,  beyond  a  doubt.  No  wonder  we  bave  the 
reputation  for  hospitality ;  the  message  of  "  Out " 
at  the  front  door  is  a  rare  luxury,  for  it  is  too  apt 
to  meet  with  its  contradiction  at  the  back. 

The  vines  shading  Mrs.  Kapua's  lanai  were  exu- 
berant in  growth,  but  they  were  not  of  a  uniform 
thickness,  and  as  we  drew  near  on  the  footpath, 
I  could  see  through  them  that  a  figure  was  moving ; 
it  was  indistinct,  like  a  shadow,  still  some  one  was 
there  and  some  one  was  walking  across  the  lanai, 
as  our  approach  was  heralded  by  the  crunching  of 
the  pebbles  under  our  feet. 

We  found  Mrs.  Kapua  alone;  she  was  seated 
on  a  short  wicker  sofa,  softly  sweeping  the 
strings  of  her  ukulele  with  her  supple  fingers.  Just 
beyond  reach  of  her  foot,  a  chair  was  rocking  in  its 
sheltered  corner;  certainly  no  breeze  was  respon- 
sible ;  it  might  have  been  hurriedly  vacated.  There 
was  nothing  hurried  about  Mrs.  Kapua  and  her 
position  of  graceful  relaxation. 

She  greeted  us  without  rising  and  seated  us  with 
a  gesture.  And  I  wondered  if  she  was  going  to 
adopt  this  as  a  pose ;  some  one  had  perhaps  pointed 
out  to  her  that  it  held  a  peculiar  attraction.  It  was 
a  greeting  of  quiet  charm  that  forced  comparison 
with  the  too  usual  bustling  reception. 

I  really  don't  know  what  we  would  do  without 
our  wonderful  climate  of  perpetual  summer;  it  is 
as  useful  a  topic  as  the  weather  in  all  climes, 
although  if  there  are  four  seasons,  there  is  of  course 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  243 

a  diversity  of  which  we  cannot  boast.  But  there  is 
nothing  like  it  here,  or  anywhere,  for  an  entering 
wedge.  While  Mrs.  Kapua  and  Mrs.  Thornton  in- 
serted it,  I  looked  brightly  intelligent  and  became 
even  animated,  when  they  referred  to  the  trade  wind. 

It  did  not  reach  Mrs.  Kapua's  lanai,  however, 
and  the  air  was  heavy  with  the  sickish  sweet  scent 
of  the  ylang  ylang;  a  vase  near  Mrs.  Kapua  was 
full  of  the  greenish,  curled-up  blossoms.  There 
was  one  fastened  in  her  dark  hair  and,  strange  to 
say,  it  was  becoming  in  spite  of  its  trying  tint.  But 
flowers  are  a  part  of  Mrs.  Kapua.  They  seem  to 
partake  of  her  bloom,  as  she  does  of  theirs,  and 
no  matter*  where,  or  how,  she  wears  them,  in  the 
sunshine  or  the  cool  of  evening,  for  an  elaborate 
adjunct  to  a  ball  gown,  or  as  a  single  flower  care- 
lessly pinned  to  her  holoku,  with  her  they  keep 
un faded  to  the  last. 

"  I  never  get  tired  of  the  sunshine  eh,"  said  Mrs. 
Kapua.  "  I  don't  even  mind  the  glare.  I  love  the 
old  ocean  when  she  sparkles,  and  shines,  and  fairly 
dazzles  one  with  the  reflection." 

"  Oh,  that  reminds  me  of  my  diamonds,"  said 
Mrs.  Thornton  promptly.  "  Where,  oh  where,  are 
they  sparkling  now  ?  " 

We  were  startled. 

"  I  won't  know  a  happy  moment  until  they  are 
found,"  declared  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  I  find  myself  un- 
consciously suspecting  each  of  my  servants,  faithful 
as  they  have  proved  themselves  to  be,  and  when  I 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

walk  through  the  house,  I  search  the  floor  at  every 
step,  although  I  know  how  thoroughly  we  have 
hunted." 

"  I  really  came  to  talk  it  all  over  with  you," 
said  Mrs.  Thornton,  with  simple  candor. 

It's  wonderful  how  frank  one  always  appears 
when  guile  is  pointing  the  way. 

"  I  don't  want  you  to  feel  responsible  because 
my  pin  was  lost  in  your  house;  it  is  not  fair. 
Really,  Mrs.  Kapua,  I  wish  you  wouldn't  bother 
any  more.  Please  dismiss  it  from  your  mind." 

"  But  I  can't  eh,"  cried  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  Every- 
where I  go,  everywhere  I  turn,  whoever  comes  here, 
it  is  the  subject  of  discussion ;  nothing  else  is  talked 
of ;  it  is  a  mystery  of  absorbing  interest." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause.  I,  for  one,  could 
think  of  nothing  to  say. 

"  Oh  pshaw,  it  is  not  the  first  case  of  mysterious 
disappearance,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton  lightly.  "  The 
fact  is,  Honolulu  has  nothing  else  to  talk  about." 

"  Yes,  that's  it  eh,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua. 

The  subject  was  in  momentary  danger  of  being 
dropped. 

"  And  amidst  all  the  talk,  what  is  there  new  to 
say?  "  Mrs.  Thornton  began  again. 

"  Nothing  new,  of  course,"  Mrs.  Kapua  agreed. 

Mrs.  Thornton  leaned  towards  her,  a  light  in 
her  eyes,  determination  lurking  about  her  mouth. 
"  I  want  you  to  help  me  hush  the  whole  matter  up, 
Mrs.  Kapua.  I  don't  like  the  way  it  has  become 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  245 

the  sole  subject  of  conversation;  it  was  all  very  well 
until  outsiders  began  to  say  that  the  diamonds  were 
not  lost,  but  stolen.  It  is  possible  we  are  allowing 
an  ugly  suspicion  to  grow.  You've  heard  the 
rumors ;  don't  you  think  this  silly  gossip  has  gone 
far  enough?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua,  "  it  has  gone  far 
enough." 

This  was  not  reassuring. 

"  I  am  as  ready  as  you  are  to  hush  it  up,"  she 
continued.  "  When  discussion  becomes  hot,  there  is 
danger  for  some  one." 

"  For  some  one,"  I  repeated. 

I  had  been  all  this  time  trying  to  steady  my 
voice,  and  I  gave  a  little  yawn  which  emphasized  a 
semblance  of  indifference,  of  which  I  might  well 
be  proud. 

"  I  look  at  it  this  way,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton. 
"  It  would  .of  course  be  natural  to  suspect  either 
of  the  two  men  alone  with  me  when  my  pin  disap- 
peared, were  not  the  one  a  man  of  great  wealth, 
and  the  other  of  unquestioned  honesty.  But, 
absurd  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  in  this  case,  there 
has  been  as  usual  some  one  to  start  a  scandal. 
Now,  are  we.  going  to  let  it  spread  until  it  gets 
abroad?  Frank  Alden  is  a  Harvard  graduate, 
with  friends  everywhere  from  San  Francisco  to  New 
York,  in  Europe,  in  Japan — and  although  he  is  an 
Island  boy,  a  kamaaina,  a  scandal  about  him  would 
not  be  merely  a  local  one.  Our  boast  of  being  as 


246  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

one  big  family  would  indeed  be  blasted  if  we  could 
accuse  him.  On  the  other  hand,  take  the  Commo- 
dore; even  were  he  poor,  and  possible  as  a  suspect, 
he  is  a  stranger  visiting  our  land  for  the  first  time, 
a  land  with  a  world-wide  reputation  for  hospitality. 
Could  we  let  the  world  know  that  this  generous  spirit 
was  built  on  such  treacherous  ground,  that  we  could 
turn  on  the  stranger  and  subject  him  to  insult? 
In  either  case,  it  seems  to  me,  the  ignominy  would 
be  ours.  We  must  think  up  a  way,  Mrs.  Kapua, — 
you  and  I.  We  will  work  together." 

Mrs.  Thornton  had  spoken  with  enthusiastic 
persuasion. 

Mrs.  Kapua  sat  forward,  her  cheeks  ablaze, 
her  eyes  aglow ;  never  had  she  looked  more  beautiful. 

"  Think  of  injustice  in  Hawaii!  You  are  right. 
We  will  work  together,  work  for  the  aloha  of  Hawaii 
nei,  the  aloha  that  breathes  the  spirit  of  the  Islands, 
— love,  harmony,  welcome,  the  aloha  that  follows 
the  kamaaina,  and  calls  him,  and  draws  him,  and 
brings  him  back  to  us,  no  matter  where  he  may 
wander.  Aloha  eh." 

Oh,  the  tenderness,  the  softness,  the  abandon, 
in  Mrs.  Kapua's  rich,  low  tones,  merging  into  a 
melting,  caressing  whole!  Was  it  love  of  country 
that  aroused  such  wealth  of  feeling,  that  brought 
voice  and  eyes  into  such  yielding  beauty? 

From  the  garden  rang  the  loud  laugh  of  the 
Commodore,  through  the  vines  floated  a  monosylla- 
bic utterance  in  Frank's  well-known  voice;  on  the 
pebbles  sounded  the  crunching  of  heavy  feet. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  247 

Mrs.  Kapua  did  not  rise  as  the  two  men  ran  up 
the  steps  and  stood  before  us.  She  took  her  little 
ukulele  from  its  resting  place  in  her  lap  and  placed 
ifo  at  the  head  of  the  sofa,  only  big  enough  for  two, 
on  which  she  was  sitting.  The  fold  of  her  skirt, 
covering  its  short  length,  she  did  not  move  aside. 

"  Aloha,  aloha"  she  said,  as  though  the  echo 
were  still  in  her  heart. 

My  own  prim,  cold  "  How  do  you  do?  "  suffered 
perceptibly  in  comparison. 

Even  if  Frank  had  telephoned,  after  I  left  home, 
and  found  me  gone,  did  he  have  to  take — to  seize — 
this  opportunity  to  call  upon  HER! 

The  ukulele  on  Mrs.  Kapua's  skirt,  shining, 
inlaid  little  trifle  though  it  seemed,  was  a  weight  for 
the  folds  so  carelessly  thrown  across  the  rest  of  the 
sofa ;  it  threatened  to  fall,  as  Frank  brushed  against 
it  to  make  way  for  the  Commodore  to  approach, 
and  Mrs.  Kapua  involuntarily  steadied  it  with  her 
hand.  Her  position  was,  for  her,  almost  a  studied 
one.  There  was  a  tenseness  in  her  quiet  immovabil- 
ity, just  a  shade  different  from  her  customary 
relaxation.  Was  it  possible  that  anything  could 
be  concealed  under  the  white,  double  fold  of  her 
skirt.  She  had  not  been  alone  when  we  came ;  some 
one  had  left  her, — perhaps  forgotten  his  hat  in  a 
hurried  exit.  The  Commodore  and  Frank  held 
theirs,  as  they  stood,  side  by  side,  near  her. 

How  different,  even  opposite  they  were  in  type ! 
The  Commodore,  burly,  suave,  handsome,  bold,  a 


248  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

hail-fellow-well-met  man,  full  of  the  assurance  of 
prosperity,  one  who  would  have  been  self-made 
through  push,  and  luck,  who  would  have  won  a  hap- 
hazard fortune,  if  inheritance  hadn't  stepped  in 
and  taken  all  the  honor. 

And  Frank,  a  happy  combination  of  the  athletic 
and  the  studious,  wiry,  quick,  alert,  honest,  full  of 
energy  and  decision,  with  firm  mouth,  thoughtful 
brow,  keen  gray  eyes,  with  body  and  brain  alive, 
nervous,  a  man  to  pursue  success  and  to  storm  it, 
and  at  the  last  to  win  a  victory  that  would  be 
enduring. 

But,  unlike  in  type  as  they  might  be,  they 
were  in  appearance,  far  from  individual,  each  in 
white  duck,  each  with  a  single  ylang  ylang  on  the 
lapel  of  his  coat,  each  holding  in  his  left  hand  a 
white  straw  hat,  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  other. 
Such  is  man ;  revelling  in  his  freedom  from  conven- 
tion, yet  bound,  hand  and  foot,  to  a  uniformity 
of  dress. 

The  ylang  ylang,  however,  was  no  part  of  con- 
vention. The  wearing  of  it  was  a  coincidence, — a 
curious  coincidence.  Of  course  the  native  women 
down  town  who  sit  in  rows  along  the  sidewalk, 
stringing  leis  for  sale,  their  baskets  of  flowers  beside 
them,  might  have  tempted  the  passer-by  with  their 
profusion  of  these  strongly  perfumed  flowers,  at 
times  a  scarcity  on  the  market.  Mrs.  Thornton  had 
succumbed.  But — even  admitting  that 

"  Just  in  time  eh,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua,  after  we 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  249 

had  all  exchanged  greetings  and  expressed  mutual 
surprise  and  pleasure  at  our  meeting. 

Both  Frank  and  the  Commodore  wanted  to  know 
what  she  meant,  what  was  due  them  because  of  this 
accidental  punctuality,  and  Mrs.  Kapua  declared 
they  were  equally  ungallant  not  to  guess ;  was  their 
visit  not  most  opportune?  With  her  gesture  she 
included  Mrs.  Thornton,  herself  and  me. 

The  Commodore  said  that  in  spite  of  their  good 
fortune  in  finding  three  lovely  ladies  together,  he 
might  have  guessed,  from  the  time  of  day,  that 
she  had  referred  to  tea.  And  Mrs.  Kapua  laugh- 
ingly acknowledged  that  one  guess  was  as  good  as 
the  other. 

"  And  where  did  you  two  meet  ?  "  I  asked,  with 
cordial  interest. 

"  At  the  back ;  we  came  through  the  garden  that 
way,"  explained  Frank. 

This  much  had  been  easy  to  surmise. 

"  I  don't  know  what  we  would  do,  here  in  Hono- 
lulu, if  it  were  not  for  our  convenient  back  gates !  " 
said  Mrs.  Thornton. 

But  one's  remarks  luckily,  or  unluckily,  have  no 
acoustic  properties  to  betray  an  echo. 

"  How  gay  you  look  eh ;  each  with  a  bouton- 
niere,"  said  Mrs.  Kapua.  "  Why  didn't  you  wait 
and  let  me  decorate  you?  " 

The  Commodore  glanced  up  at  the  vase  near 
her.  "  I  see  you  have  an  extra  supply.  I  wish  that 


250  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

I  had  waited ;  the  wdhine  who  pinned  this  on  for  me 
was  no  beauty ;  I  can  assure  you  of  that." 

Mrs.  Kapua  laughed.  "  Oh  Commodore,"  she 
said. 

Frank's  eyes  were  on  her,  so  he  did  not  see  my 
quick  look  in  his  direction.  I  must  confess  that 
it  had  occurred  to  me  that  she  might  have  divided 
her  bouquet  with  at  least  one  of  her  visitors ;  it 
was  scarcely  probable  that  both  men  had  purchased 
the  same  flower  that  Mrs.  Kapua  happened  to  be 
wearing. 

"  I  have  never  seen  you  without  flowers,  Mrs. 
Kapua,"  the  Commodore  went  on  to  say.  "  I  believe 
you  sleep  in  a  garden  bed." 

"  Not  quite  that ;  but  I  have  to  live  up  to  my 
name,  you  know." 

"  Ka-pua,  the  flower,"  said  the  Commodore 
slowly,  "  but  that  is  only  annexed ;  you  mean  your 
first  name,  Leialoha;  Lei-Aloha;  Wreath  of  Love." 

Certainly  the  Commodore  had  been  an  apt 
scholar.  And  he  was  not  reticent  about  his  tuition. 
If  he  had  been  calling  on  Mrs.  Kapua  when  we 
came,  even  supposing  his  frequent  visits  to  her 
might  make  his  wife  seem  conspicuous  by  her  ab- 
sence, would  he  have  evaded  us,  forgotten  his  hat 
in  a  hurried  flight  and  returned  with  a  borrowed 
one?  Wouldn't  it  be  more  likely  for  him  to  stay  in 
the  first  place  and  bluff  it  out?  Still,  some  one  had 
left  Mrs.  Kapua  when  he  saw  us  coming;  that,  at 
least,  was  not  conjecture. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  251 

"  Sit  down  and  look  as  if  you  felt  at  home," 
suggested  Mrs.  Kapua. 

The  Commodore,  still  holding  his  hat,  sank  into 
the  chair  near  him,  and  Frank,  also  holding  his  hat, 
pushed  up  an  arm  chair  with  his  unoccupied  hand. 
It  appeared  to  be  rather  heavy;  with  two  hands  it 
could  have  been  more  easily  moved;  it  might  have 
been  natural  to  have  laid  down  his  hat, — just  the 
usual  straw  hat. 

It  is  true  that  its  very  similarity,  every  man's 
being  so  like  every  other  man's  in  Honolulu,  is  con- 
ducive to  frequent  mix-ups ;  in  fact,  stories  of  the 
interchanging,  whether  by  accident  or  design,  of 
the  headgear  of  men  in  Hawaii,  have  a  wide  and 
dangerous  range  and  even  expurgated  to  suit  a 
conservative  taste,  they  would  fill  a  book.  So  it 
is  often  the  wise  man  who  holds  on  to  his  own; 
but,  also,  it  is  the  wise  man  who  does  not  have  to, 
but  who,  like  Frank,  always  has  a  mark  of  identifi- 
cation inside. 

Mrs.  Kapua  has  a  hatrack  on  her  back  veranda, 
and  although  it  tells  no  tales,  it  is  only  reasonable 
to  presume  that  it  could.  I  have  never  seen  it 
empty ;  two  or  three  of  its  pegs,  at  least,  are  always 
in  use.  Mrs.  Kapua  has  explained  that  she  needs 
a  suggestion  of  man  about  the  house,  the  beach  of 
course  being  public,  and  she  being  in  reality  alone. 
So  her  hatrack  is  by  way  of  protection. 

But — but,  it  might  also  prove  an  accommoda- 
tion. 


252  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Thornton  was  in  the  midst  of  an  exchange 
of  compliments  with  the  Commodore  when,  with  a 
startled  exclamation,  I  rushed  across  to  Frank  and 
seizing  his  hat  from  his  grasp,  I  flicked  an  imag- 
inary insect  from  its  brim. 

"  Ugh !    Horrid  thing !  "  I  said  with  a  shudder. 

Mrs.  Thornton,  after  the  manner  of  woman, 
jumped  out  of  her  chair,  ready  to  jump  on  it.  But 
Mrs.  Kapua,  after  the  more  serene  manner  of 
Hawaii,  remained  seated  and  merely  laid  her  hand 
on  the  neck  of  her  ukulele.  The  Commodore  and 
Frank  sprang  to  my  rescue. 

And  it  was  a  tense  moment  while  all,  with  some 
show  of  excited  interest,  waited  for  my  explana- 
tion and  I  tried  to  make  up  my  mind  between  a 
centipede  and  an  inchworm.  For,  although  a 
centipede  might  hasten  out  of  sight  on  his  hundred 
legs,  an  inchworm  is  lost  with  less  concern. 

"  Don't  bother,  don't  bother,"  I  murmured. 

"  That's  one  advantage  we  have  on  the  Gelda" 
said  the  Commodore,  "  lying  a  bit  off,  as  she  is,  we 
escape  your  husky,  if  harmless,  insects." 

I  had  decided  on  the  inchworm  and  in  an  ani- 
mated account  of  how  I  had  counted  nearly  three- 
quarters  of  a  yard  before  its  pale  green  activity  got 
on  my  nerves,  I  turned  Frank's  hat  over  and  looked 
in  the  crown. 

And  not  on  impulse  did  I  perpetrate  this  bit  of 
detective  work  either,  but  with  a  cold,  or  at  least 
cool,  premeditation.  I  did  not  deceive  myself;  I 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  253 

knew  that  I  was  no  better  than  the  weak  sister 
who,  actuated  by  jealous  suspicion,  opens  a  letter 
not  addressed  to  herself. 

66  Rash  man!  Where  is  your  name?"  I  asked 
in  a  tone  intended  to  be  light. 

"Name!"  cried  the  Commodore.  "Well,  I 
hope  he's  not  as  rash  as  all  that!  It's  far  better 
never  to  trace  your  own  hat  than  to  have  it  trace 
you." 

"  Oh,  but  Commodore,  you'll  have  to  come  to  it. 
Every  man  in  Honolulu  does."  Mrs.  Kapua's  tone 
was  careless  as  was  her  position. 

Frank  looked  at  me  with  some  concern,  even  with 
anxiety.  "  Don't  you  like  it  ?  It's  a  brand  new 
one;  I  bought  it  to-day.  The  crown  is  narrower, 
only  a  little — you'd  hardly  notice  it " 

My  expression  had  probably  not  been  one  to 
suggest  enthusiasm. 

The  Commodore  heaved  a  deep  sigh.  "  Is  this 
the  way  you  treat  the  thirsty  wayfarer,  Mrs. 
Kapua?" 

She  laughed  indulgently.  "  Here  comes  Yone 
with  tea  eh,"  she  said. 

Yone  placed  the  tea  table  in  front  of  her  mis- 
tress. 

On  the  pebble  walk  was  the  crunching  of  feet; 
laughter  and  voices  sounded  through  the  garden. 

And  I  knew  that  callers  might  come  and  callers 
might  go,  but  Mrs.  Kapua  would  sit  there  forever, 
—at  least  if  we  stayed  that  long. 


XVIII. 

As  Frank  left  Mrs.  Kapua's  with  us,  Mrs. 
Thornton  and  I  had  no  chance  to  discuss  our  visit 
and  its  possible  outcome.  As  -for  me,  I  spent  the 
evening,  in  a  chastened  spirit,  embroidering  a  new 
hat  band  for  Frank.  I  might  be  jealous,  but  I 
was  not  unreasonable,  and  when  I  learned  that  Frank 
had  followed  me  from  my  house  to  Mrs.  Thornton's, 
and  then  to  Mrs.  Kapua's,  and  when  with  a  few 
judicious  questions,  I  further  learned  that  he  had 
borrowed  a  flower  from  the  lei  on  Mrs.  Thornton's 
Icvnai,  while  waiting  for  Suki  to  open  the  door,  I 
had  once  more  put  two  and  two  together,  and  with 
far  more  satisfactory  results  than  before.  Perhaps 
before  I  had  come  to  a  conclusion  of  four  by  an 
unfair  process  of  three  to  one. 

When  I  had  a  chance  to  see  Mrs.  Thornton 
alone,  she  advised  me  to  let  everything  go  along 
just  as  it  was,  to  wait,  and  to  watch.  She  really 
believed  that  Mrs.  Kapua  was  very  fond  of  Frank ; 
surely  I  had  noticed  the  growing  friendship  between 
them ;  and  now,  when  it  was  apparent  that  she  meant 
no  mischief,  but  quite  the  reverse,  an  alarming  ele- 
ment was  completely  eliminated.  Wasn't  I  relieved  ? 
Couldn't  I  see  the  advantage?  Didn't  I  feel 
thankful? 

I  was.     I  could.     And  I  did.     But,  not  heartily. 

I  had  forgotten  that  Mrs.  Thornton  was  going 
to  have  a  wooden  wedding  so  soon,  but  she  told  me 

254 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  255 

she  was  going  to  have  a  dinner  on  the  twenty-fifth, 
to  celebrate  five  years  of  married  life,  or  if  not  a 
dinner,  what  would  I  suggest? 

And  I  knew  that  Mrs.  Thornton's  interest  would 
not  come  back  to  me  and  my  troubles  again  on  this 
occasion.  So  we  talked  over  the  list  of  entertain- 
ments possible,  and  discussed  which  would  be  the 
most  successful,  considering  it  would  not  be  moon- 
light. There  was  no  hurry  about  deciding,  so  we 
did  not  come  to  a  final  settlement  of  the  question. 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  give  Mrs.  Thornton 
a  calabash  on  her  anniversary,  and  I  was  glad  I 
had  been  reminded  of  the  date  in  time.  She  was 
going  to  make  a  collection,  and  although  I  did  not 
see  how  she  could  be  so  crazy  over  them,  I  was  glad 
to  help  the  collection  along.  Of  course  I  appreciated 
the  beautiful  polish  and  grain  of  the  native  woods 
from  which  they  were  carved,  and  we  all  like  to  have 
the  huge  bowls  to  hold  our  growing  plants.  There 
couldn't  be  any  flower-pots  to  equal  them,  but  there 
can  be  too  much  of  a  good  thing. 

I  never  did  think  they  were  much  of  an  addition 
to  Mrs.  Kapua's  house.  She  has  rare,  old  ones, 
much  mended,  and  patched,  of  all  sizes,  and  some 
of  real  historical  value.  It  would  have  been  natural 
to  go  to  her  to  find  out  where  I  could  best  secure 
a  genuine  hand-made  one,  authentic  and  ancient,  but 
somehow  I  was  tired  of  calling  on  Mrs.  Kapau,  and 
I  made  up  my  mind  I  would  go  elsewhere  for  my 
information. 


256  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

The  Mitchells  are  enthusiastic  over  everything 
Hawaiian.  Their  library  has  a  corner  devoted  to 
books  on  the  Islands,  and  their  feather  leis,  tapas, 
and  curios  of  all  sorts,  are  both  numerous  and 
rare.  So  I  decided  to  consult  Mrs.  Mitchell,  before 
starting  on  my  search. 

I  found  the  Commodore  and  Mrs.  Chandler  in 
the  drawing-room  with  her.  It  was  Mrs.  Mitchell's 
day  at  home.  I  came  at  once  to  the  object  of  my 
visit  before  anyone  else  could  arrive  to  interrupt, 
and  Mrs.  Mitchell  told  me  of  a  native,  named 
Kapena,  who  had  some  real  Lunalilo  calabashes  for 
sale. 

We  had  all  become  accustomed  to  vague  direc- 
tions as  a  substitute  for  numbers  and  streets,  so  I 
was  not  surprised,  nor  dismayed,  to  learn  how  to 
reach  Kapena.  I  was  to  start  up  a  certain  lane, 
turn  first  to  the  left,  then  turn  twice  more,  always 
to  the  left,  and  go  along  until  I  came  to  a  monkey 
pod  tree;  upon  convincing  myself  that  it  was  be- 
yond doubt  a  monkey  pod, — because  it  was  possible 
that  it  marked  the  fourth  turning,  but  she  was 
almost  sure  it  was  the  third, — I  was  to  pursue  my 
way  to  the  right  and  go  to  the  second  hut  from 
the  first  turning  after  that. 

The  Commodore  said  it  was  almost  as  bad  as 
sending  the  helpless  stranger  to  the  first  shower, 
instead  of  the  first  street,  to  find  a  resident  of  one 
of  our  rainy  valleys, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  257 

I  laughed,  for  I  had  given  him  this  traditional 
guidance  myself. 

"  Are  you  going  in  for  poi?  "  he  asked  me,  as 
Mrs.  Chandler  went  with  Mrs.  Mitchell  to  the  other 
end  of  the  room  to  see  the  curios. 

Mr.  Mitchell  had  shown  them  to  the  Commodore, 
and  I  had  seen  them  many  times,  so  we  did  not 
follow. 

"  It  takes  a  pretty  hand  and  wrist  to  excuse 
poi;  but  yours  would  be  excuse  enough." 

"  Oh,  it's  an  acquired  taste  of  course,"  I  an- 
swered, a  bit  absent-mindedly. 

"  Easily  acquired,"  said  the  Commodore  signifi- 
cantly. 

I  smiled  as  I  caught  his  glance.  "  You  know 
I  meant  the  poi"  I  said.  "  The  calabash  is  a  secret, 
but  if  you  promise  you  won't  tell,  I'll  confide  in 
you." 

The  Commodore  leaned  towards  me,  a  look  of 
keen  interest  in  his  handsome  eyes.  There  was 
always  a  challenge  in  the  Commodore's  bold  gaze. 
I  couldn't  help  contrasting  his  eyes  with  Dr.  Stir- 
ling Dwinelle's,  although  I  had  not  seen  the  Doctor 
for  a  long  time;  but  then,  I'd  never  met  his  eyes 
at  all. 

"  I  promise  I  won't  tell." 

"  I'm  going  to  give  it  to  Mrs.  Thornton  for  a 
present." 

The  Commodore  sat  back.  "  I'm  surprised  at 
you,"  he  said.  "  That's  not  a  well-chosen  present 
17 


258  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

from  a  tactful  lady  to  a  lady  who  lost  a  priceless 
pin,  while  enjoying  a  private  calabash  view.  The 
two  will  always  be  associated  in  her  mind,  you 
may  be  sure." 

"  But,"  I  protested,  "  she  is  starting  a  collec- 
tion." 

"  Well,  don't  look  so  distressed ;  I  was  only 
joking,  you  know.  This  whole  business  is  only  a 
joke  anyway, — a  sorry  joke  perhaps,  until  the  pin 
is  found,  which  of  course  it  is  bound  to  be."  The 
Commodore  spoke  confidently. 

"  Oh,  do  you  think  so  ?  How  I  wish  that  I 
could  be  sure ! "  I  cried  involuntarily,  and  with 
more  feeling  in  my  voice  than  I  cared  to  have 
apparent. 

I  tried  to  laugh  and  to  turn  it  off,  but  the  Com- 
modore once  more  leaned  towards  me. 

"  Look  here,  little  girl,"  he  said  kindly,  "  don't 
you  worry ;  don't  you  get  rattled  over  this  affair, 
like  the  other  women;  don't  you  let  malicious,  silly 
gossip  influence  you."  There  was  sympathy  in  his 
voice.  "  The  trouble  is  that  this  place  is  so  small 
that  one  hears  all  the  gossip  going.  But  Honolulu's 
greatest  trouble  is  the  ubiquitous  stranger  who 
thinks  he  knows  it  all.  Travellers  should  be 
attached  to  strings  and  be  subject  to  an  occasional 
pull  up.  If  they  are  in  a  place  a  whole  day,  they 
generally  write  a  book  on  it,  but  if  they  stay  longer, 
they  try  to  run  the  inhabitants,  which  is  perhaps 
worse.  Take  a  woman  like  Mrs.  Spotfield,  for  in- 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  259 

stance.  I  understand  that  the  Stowes  are  a  bit 
exclusive  and  do  not  call  on  every  newcomer,  but  I 
overheard  Mrs.  Spotfield  say :  *  Who  are  the  Stowes? 
I  haven't  met  them;  I  don't  believe  they  go  in  our 
set.'  " 

The  Commodore's  imitation  of  Mrs.  Spotfield, 
given  with  a  man's  tolerance  and  sense  of  humor, 
but  with  no  touch  of  spitefulness,  was  indeed 
amusing. 

"  As  for  your  great  diamond  robbery," — con- 
tinued the  Commodore,  "  Well,  call  it  that,  just  for 
spice," — he  added  quickly,  before  I  could  expostu- 
late, "  listening  to  her  prattle  for  ten  minutes  or 
so  yesterday,  I  gathered  that  Frank  Alden,  poor 
but  hitherto  worthy,  had  yielded  to  temptation, 
stolen  the  pin,  and  was  now  reported  to  be  secretly 
negotiating  for  a  house  and  lot  at  Waikiki,  instead 
of  a  boarding-house  bedroom,  which  had  once 
been  good  enough  for  him — oh,  this  was  by  impli- 
cation merely ;  don't  let  it  disturb  you,  for  an 
instant;  no  one  could  put  a  finger  on  any  actual 
accusation.  But,  I  tell  you,  I  have  strong  ideas 
about  the  debt  a  visitor  owes  to  the  country 
he  may  be  burdening  by  his  presence.  Here,  where 
the  stranger  is  taken  in  with  open  arms  and  no 
questions  asked,  that  debt  becomes  the  more  sacred. 
He  ought  to  be  forced  to  take  out,  along  with  his 
automobile  license,  a  conversation  limitation  (includ- 
ing the  written,  as  well  as  the  spoken).  You'll 
never  get  Mrs.  Chandler  to  express  an  opinion,  no 


260  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

matter  which  resident  may  be  accused  of  a  crime 
in  whatever  country — that  is,  if  we  are  visiting  there 
at  the  time.  Even  to  me,  privately,  she  would  hesi- 
tate to  speak,  knowing  my  aversion  of  any  such 
return  -for  hospitality.  Publishing  one's  love  letters 
is  only  the  next  step." 

The  Commodore,  with  his  earnest,  straightfor- 
ward manner,  was  more  attractive  than  I  had  ever 
seen  him ;  in  fact,  I  had  never  seen  him  so  in  earnest 
before. 

"  I  was  in  a  queer  position  once,"  he  resumed. 
"  I  had  a  party  on  the  yacht  for  a  fortnight's  run. 
The  fifth  day  out,  I  missed  a  box  of  unset  fire  opals 
of  great  value,  that  I  had  been  showing  to  my 
friends  the  previous  night;  they  had  been  given  to 
me  by  a  Rajah,  while  we  were  in  India.  I  had 
strong  suspicions  as  to  the  guilty  party.  It  was  in 
the  Mediterranean.  The  Gelda  had  been  lying  off 
Tunis.  I  had  accepted  the  hospitality  of  these 
people  for  weeks  past,  and  now  they  were  accept- 
ing mine, — in  all  good  faith."  The  Commodore 
paused.  "  Well,  I  may  have  been  quixotic,"  he 
added  quietly,  "  but  I  never  saw  those  opals  again. 
Of  course  I've  only  given  you  an  outline  of  the 
story." 

After  a  few  moments,  during  which  the1  Commo- 
dore had  modestly  laughed  off  what  I  had  tried  to 
say,  he  added  with  simple  sincerity :  "  Don't  be 
afraid  that  either  Mrs.  Chandler,  01  I,  will  ever 
encourage  a  hint  of  slander.  As  far  as  we  are 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  261 

concerned,  we  know  nothing  and  we  think  nothing; 
it  is  only  the  business  of  those  who  really  belong. 
We  are  outsiders." 

He  stood  up,  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lumsing  came 
in,  Mrs.  Lumsing  in  white,  with  touches  of  the  bril- 
liant green  and  gold,  usual  to  the  Mandarin  jacket 
and,  as  a  further  concession,  a  long  string  of  beads 
of  Chinese  design,  and  Mr.  Lumsing  in  a  suit  that 
was  unmistakably  the  latest,  and  most  correct,  Eng- 
lish model. 

The  conversation  became  general  and,  in  a  few 
moments,  I  got  up  to  leave.  Mrs.  Mitchell  accom- 
panied me  to  the  steps  to  give  me  some  parting 
directions  and,  as  I  drove  off,  I  persistently  repeated 
to  myself  the  turns  to  left  and  right  that  would 
bring  me  to  the  monkey  pod  tree  and  finally  to  the 
hut  that  held  the  calabash. 

But,  it  seemed  somehow  like  the  well-known 
method  of  courting  sleep  by  counting  a  flock  of 
sheep  as  they  jumped,  one  by  one,  over  a  fence. 
I  was  trying  to  forget  my  talk  with  the  Commodore ; 
with  all  his  kind  intentions,  he  had  not  made  me 
feel  comfortable — it  was  too  evident  that  he  thought 
Mrs.  Thornton's  pin  had  been  stolen. 

I  alighted  from  the  carriage,  and  sending  it 
around  the  corner  to  wait  for  me  in  the  shade,  I 
walked  slowly  along  the  lane;  it  was  both  winding, 
and  branching.  After  the  first  turn  to  the  left, 
I  felt  it  was  clear  sailing  to  the  monkey  pod,  as  I 
was  to  continue  always  to  the  left  until  I  reached  it, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

and  I  sauntered  along,  pausing  to  look  up  the  little 
paths  that  led  off  to  the  right  and  making  up  my 
mind  that  some  day  I  would  explore  each  one.  It 
is  remarkable  how  we  all  keep  to  the  beaten  highr 
way  and  know  so  little  of  what  is  going  on  in  the 
lanes  so  near  us,  that  hold  a  life  and  a  people  of 
their  own.  In  all  the  years  I  had  lived  in  Honolulu, 
I  had  never  before  penetrated  into  the  expanse  of 
land  that  I  could  see  opening  out  beyond. 

The  small  white  cottages  I  passed  were  behind 
irregularly  built  fences,  through  which  I  caught 
glimpses  of  the  gay  little  gardens,  with  their  hibis- 
cus hedges  flaunting  their  big  crimson  flowers  in  the 
sunshine.  One  cottage  was  so  exactly  the  counter- 
part of  another  that  they  looked  as  if  rolled  out  of 
a  factory,  like  tin  cans,  or  any  other  triumph  of 
modern  machinery.  And,  as  if  to  carry  out  the 
design  of  similitude,  each  was  flanked  by  long- 
leaved  banana  trees;  and  a  single  algeroba  lent  its 
kindly  shade  to  every  tiny  front  yard. 

Warm  waves  of  air,  laden  with  the  concentrated 
sweetness  of  honeysuckle  and  jessamine  and  mag- 
nolias, rose  and  fell  and  rustled  through  the  banana 
leaves  in  languorous,  fitful  whisperings.  The  big 
bumble  bees  drowsily  hummed  and  buzzed,  a  con- 
tented humming  and  buzzing,  as  though  they  liked 
the  hot  sunshine. 

It  was  hot.  I  turned  to  the  left,  for  the  second 
time,  and  as  I  got  around  the  blind  corner,  which 
had  completely  hidden  from  view  everything  behind 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  263 

it,  I  nearly  ran  into  a  handsome  Hawaiian  girl.     I 
paused,  with  an  involuntary  start. 

"  Aloha"  she  said,  "  you  no  remember  Kaala?  " 
When  she  spoke  and  smiled,  I  did  remember  her. 
Kaala  was  a  feminine  Jack-of -all-trades.  She  had 
made  the  most  delicious  guava  jam,  with  which  Mrs. 
Thornton  had  stocked  her  store-room,  besides  send- 
ing boxes  of  it  to  her  friends  in  San  Francisco. 
Soon,  Kaala's  jams  got  to  be  widely  known  and 
justly  popular,  but  when  I  went  to  give  an  order 
for  some,  Kaala  no  longer  made  j  am ;  she  was  giving 
lomi  lomi  and,  through  Mrs.  Kapua's  recommenda- 
tions, she  had  so  many  busy  hours  that  she  had  no 
time  for  anything  else.  No  one  could  lomi  lomi  like 
Kaala,  with  her  soft,  supple  hands  and  soothing 
touch.  She  nearly  drove  our  skilful  Swedish  masseuse 
out  of  town  in  desperation.  But,  as  she  was  about 
to  leave,  her  patients  all  began  to  return  to  her. 
For  Kaala,  with  no  leisure  hours  for  pleasure,  had 
tired  of  the  regularity  of  her  work  and  had  started 
a  store  down  town,  where,  with  a  yellow  ilima  lei  on 
her  black  hair,  she  sold  Hawaiian  souvenirs,  as  they 
had  never  before  been  sold,  and  smiled,  the  same 
lazy  smile  of  dimples  and  white  teeth,  each  time  she 
was  told  by  the  tourist  that  she  herself  was  the  only 
souvenir  he  was  anxious  to  carry  away. 

And  now,  in  her  snowy  holoku  setting  off  her 
dark  coloring,  with  maile  lets  around  her  neck  and 
head,  Kaala  was  a  picture  as  she  stood,  lightly 
swinging  her  train  in  one  hand,  her  fine  figure  and 


264  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

beautiful  carriage  showing  to  advantage  in  her 
well-cut  gown  with  its  skilful  scantiness  of  folds. 
Kaala  knew  enough  not  to  discard  her  native  dress 
for  the  popular  shirtwaist-and-skirt  attire. 

When  I  remarked  that  I  had  not  seen  her  for  a 
long  time,  Kaala  informed  me  that  she  was  no 
longer  in  the  store.  She  was  now  selling  buttermilk 
instead.  And  she  explained  to  me  the  growing 
demand  for  the  drink,  and  its  efficacy  as  a  germ 
killer,  in  a  manner  that  might  not  have  delighted  a 
mind  all  for  science,  but  could  not  fail  to  reach  the 
heart  and  sell  the  buttermilk.  For  certainly  an 
elucidation  in  Kaala's  soft  tongue  of  vowels  would 
be  sure  to  convince. 

With  a  gesture  towards  the  nearest  cottage, 
Kaala  pointed  out  where  she  lived  and  invited  me  to 
come  in  and  have  a  drink  of  her  buttermilk.  I 
longed  for  something  cool  and  I  was  glad  to  accept. 

The  vine-covered  porch  was  shady  and  restful, 
and  the  milk,  cold  and  delicious,  was  a  tonic 
after  my  hot  walk.  Kaala  nodded  her  head  with 
gratification  at  my  evident  enjoyment.  Every  one 
liked  it,  she  assured  me,  and  the  rich  Commodore 
of  the  Gelda  often  rested  as  I  was  doing,  on  her 
little  porch,  before  he  continued  his  walk  and 
he  always  said  that  nowhere  in  the  world  could  be 
found  refreshment  like  Kaala's. 

I  couldn't  help  being  surprised,  although  it  is 
almost  proverbial  that  the  tourist  discovers  features 
of  a  country  unknown  to  the  resident  thereof.  It 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  265 

was  none  the  less  strange  for  the  Commodore,  whom 
I  had  rarely  seen  walking,  to  penetrate  into  this 
hot,  inland  lane,  cut  off  from  mountain  and  sea 
breeze,  as  it  was,  with  its  inconspicuous  entrance 
from  a  somewhat  unfrequented  street. 

I  wondered  how  the  Commodore  had  first  discov- 
ered Kaala.  But  she  told  me,  rather  vaguely,  that 
he  often  passed  her  door.  And  suddenly,  as  if  I 
had  come  up  against  a  stone  wall,  she  told  no  more. 

It  is  that  way  with  the  Hawaiian  woman;  with 
all  her  child-like  simplicity,  her  good  nature,  her 
easy  friendliness,  she  gives  her  foreign  sisters  only 
a  certain  amount  of  her  confidence.  While  seem- 
ingly so  guileless,  she  withholds  any  real  freedom  of 
expression. 

So,  I  asked  nothing  further.  But,  the  Commo- 
dore was  certainly  an  enterprising  man. 

"  And  Frank  Alden  eh,"  continued  Kaala ; 
"  sometimes  very  often  he  stop.  He  know  Kaala ; 

ae-e-e .  Suppose  everybody  like  buttermilk, 

by'n'by  Kaala  go  get  cow  eh." 

I  had  thought  in  my  unsophisticated  moments 
that  we  all  kept  on  the  beaten  highways  of  life, 
unmindful  of  the  side  paths  whereon  it  might  be  pos- 
sible to  stray.  But  now,  I  was  even  able  to  perceive 
that  the  buttermilk  sold  by  Kaala  perhaps  had  its 
origin  in  a  tablet  of  science,  undreamt  of  by  simple 
cow. 

"  Frank  Alden  he  no  steal  those  diamonds  be- 
long Mrs.  Thornton,"  said  Kaala  calmly.  "  He 


266  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

good  man ;  by'n'by  Mrs.  Kapua  find,  and  everybody 
tell  everybody :  '  I  no  say  before  Frank  Alden  take.' 
Ah-h-h-h ;  no  good." 

"Hush,  Kaala,  don't  talk  like  that!"  I  broke 
in  when  I  could  speak.  "  It  is  not  possible  that 
everybody  is  saying  that  Frank  Alden  stole  Mrs. 
fThornton's  diamonds ! " 

"  Only  some  people  say,"  said  Kaala  with  a 
quiet  dignity  that  was  a  reproach  to  my  impetuosity. 

"  It  will  be  bad  for  them,  if  he  hears  it,"  I  said. 

"  Ae-e-e "  said  Kaala,  "  they  no  too  much 

talk;  ah-h-h — only  whisper  eh." 

I  stood  up  to  leave  and,  with  a  slight  explanation 
of  the  quest  that  had  brought  me  up  her  way,  I 
started  on0  again,  after  an  exchange  of  alohas,  and 
proceeded  in  search  of  Kapena  and  his  calabashes. 

The  lost  diamonds,  then,  were  a  matter  of  dis- 
cussion throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Hono- 
lulu, as  I  had  thought.  But,  what  did  I  care?  It 
was  a  nine  days'  wonder,  as  Mrs.  Thornton  had 
declared. 

How  little  we  really  know  of  the  men  we  seem 
to  know  so  well;  I  had  never  supposed  that  Frank 
cared  for  buttermilk.  And  he  had  never  mentioned 
Kaala. 

I  wondered  if  the  Commodore  had  happened  to 
tell  of  this  quiet,  little  lane,  and  of  her?  Of  course 
I  could  understand  the  Commodore.  But,  I  had 
thought  the  Commodore  and  Frank  of  such  different 
types.  Perhaps  it  is  unreasonable  to  expect  a  type 
to  stay  set,  when  a  pretty  girl  is  in  question. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  267 

I  turned  to  the  left;  this  was  the  third, — and 
there  was  the  monkey  pod  tree.  The  cottages  were 
beginning  to  thin  out.  There  were  only  three,  or 
four  now,  at  irregular  distances  apart,  until  the 
road  turned  again. 

A  filmy  little  shower  fell  from  the  cloudless  sky ; 
the  sun  shone  through  the  haze  with  a  golden  glory 
as  though  its  beams  were  melted  into  shimmer- 
ing mist.  Over  the  valley  in  the  distance,  a  rain- 
bow curved,  deepening  as  the  sun  touched  it,  into 
a  radiance  of  violets,  greens  and  yellows,  a  perfect 
arch  starting  from  behind  the  irregular  mountain 
outline,  and  lost  amongst  the  shadows  below. 

I  hesitated  under  the  monkey  pod  tree.  But, 
there  was  no  doubt  it  was  a  monkey  pod;  Mrs. 
Mitchell  had  been  right  about  its  marking  the  third 
turning.  The  path  to  the  right  was  clearly  defined. 
It  brought  me  around  the  tree.  The  filmy  shower, 
Hawaii's  "  liquid  sunshine,"  the  rainbow  over  the 
valley,  were  left  behind  me,  as  I  faced  the  sea.  The 
road  became  broader,  the  fences  abruptly  ceased, 
the  neat  little  gardens  were  replaced  by  wild  cactus, 
growing  amidst  the  algerobas,  and  the  air  was  pun- 
gent with  the  lantana,  ripting  everywhere  in  masses 
of  pinkish  bloom. 

Two  more  turns  and  I  would  reach  Kapena's 
hut.  But  the  first  one  brought  me  into  a  broad, 
open  space  of  land.  Algeroba  trees  in  a  solid  bank- 
ing marked  its  boundary.  At  the  farther  end  stood 
a  cottage,  almost  buried  in  the  foliage  and  trees, 
about  it.  It  was  unlike  the  other  cottages,  perhaps 


268  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

because  it  was  painted  a  dark  red,  showing  an  in- 
dividuality of  taste  which  distinguished  it  from  its 
neighbors. 

Something  was  wrong  about  the  monkey  pod 
tree,  that  was  clear.  This  was  the  end  of  the  lane. 
I  looked  about  me ;  there  was  a  sort  of  shed  near-by, 
with  a  vegetable  garden  behind  it;  possibly  some 
one  was  working  there  who  could  tell  me  about 
Kapena. 

Beyond  the  shed  I  found  a  Japanese  boy  who 
was  squatting  on  the  ground,  busily  weeding.  He 
was  some  distance  off.  I  picked  my  way  through 
the  soft,  brown  earth,  and  when  near  enough  to  be 
heard,  I  asked  him  if  he  knew  Kapena. 

He  replied:  "No  got." 

"  Who  belong  that  house  makal? "  I  asked, 
pointing  towards  the  dark  red  house. 

"  Belong  Mis'ee  Kapua,"  he  said. 

Mrs.  Kapua  owned  land  everywhere,  so  this  in- 
formation was  not  surprising. 

"  Somebody  stop  ?  "  I  persisted  hopefully.  Al- 
though Kapena  could  not  live  there,  it  might  per- 
haps be  occupied  and  I  could  get  some  sort  of  direc- 
tions at  least. 

"  Yes.  Now  no  stop.  Before  yesterday,  he 
stop." 

There  was  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  to  retrace 
my  steps  to  the  monkey  pod,  and  there  study  the 
lay  of  the  land. 

Carefully  choosing  the  harder  ground,  where  my 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  269 

shoes  wouldn't  sink  in,  I  reached  the  little  shed 
again,  and  stepped  out  into  the  footpath  at  the  side. 
Quickly  I  drew  back  out  of  sight. 

A  man  and  woman  were  walking  along  together, 
towards  the  dark  red  house.  They  had  not  seen 
me,  but  my  momentary  glance  was  enough.  It 
was  Frank  and  Mrs.  Kapua.  Frank  was  talking 
earnestly,  and  Mrs.  Kapua  was  nodding  her  head  in 
acquiescence. 

I  stood  behind  the  shed  and  watched  them  until 
they  were  lost  in  the  thick  foliage  about  the  house. 
And  then  I  retraced  my  steps  to  the  monkey  pod 
tree  and  on,  past  Kaala's  cottage,  making  the  turns 
almost  mechanically,  as  I  reached  them.  And,  at 
last,  coming  to  the  end  of  the  lane,  I  emerged  into 
the  street.  Around  the  corner,  I  found  the  carriage 
waiting  in  the  shade ;  I  got  in  and  drove  home. 

It  was  not  long  before  Mrs.  Mitchell  telephoned 
to  ask  me  if  I  had  found  a  calabash  to  suit  me, 
and  when  she  heard  that  I  had  found  the  monkey 
pod,  but  not  Kapena,  she  said : 

"  Oh,  dear,  I  should  have  said  the  poinciana 
tree;  I  remember  now  the  monkey  pod  was  for 
Niihau  mats." 


XIX. 

I  HAD  so  often  heard  of  the  monosyllabic  mur- 
murs of  lovers,  the  long  silences  familiar  to  a  perfect 
understanding,  the  abrupt  pauses  when  hearts  were 
too  full  for  utterance,  but  although  these  symptoms 
had  become  peculiar  to  Frank  and  me,  a  proper 
diagnosis  of  our  case  would  never  have  traced  the 
cause  to  the  ecstasy  of  love. 

Frank  had  ceased  to  mention  his  tete-a-tetes  with 
Mrs.  Kapua.  Of  course  his  meetings  with  Kaala, 
he  had  never  even  referred  to  at  all ;  it  was  possible 
to  regard  them  as  a  side  issue. 

There  was  a  change  in  Frank;  he  had  now  the 
look  of  a  man  with  a  keen  interest  in  life;  in  the 
past,  I  had  often  longed  to  cheer  him  up,  but  he 
never  seemed  discouraged  any  more. 

I  could  scarcely  realize  that  only  on  the  pre- 
vious day  I  had  gone  to  hunt  for  calabashes,  as  I 
walked  along  beside  him  and  reviewed  the  situation 
dispassionately.  I  had  done  a  great  deal  of  think- 
ing since  yesterday. 

"  Lovely  night,"  said  Frank. 

He  had  said  this  before. 

"  It  is,"  I  replied  once  more. 

"Warm  day  yesterday — did  you  notice  it?" 

I  had  noticed  it. 

"  And  only  eighty,  after  all,"  said  Frank,  with 
the  usual  and  pardonable  pride  we  all  share,  in 

270 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  271 

regard  to  the  even  temperature  of  our  country. 
"  And  still  it  seemed  so  hot." 

I  refrained  from  any  allusion  to  his  hot  walk 
up  a  sun-baked  lane,  and  although  I  wanted  to 
say  that  a  drink  of  buttermilk  might  have  cooled 
him  off,  I  dismissed  this  as  too  childish  and  re- 
marked instead  that  buttermilk  was  considered  a 
refreshing  summer  drink;  this  at  least  sounded 
impersonal. 

Frank  declared  that  buttermilk  was  a  fad  of 
the  moment. 

Perhaps  it  was.     I  did  not  pursue  the  subject. 

As  we  arrived  at  Mrs.  Thornton's  house,  she 
came  forward  to  .greet  us  and  explained  that  when 
the  through  steamer  got  in,  with  the  Horatio  Met- 
calfs  on  board,  she  had  planned  an  impromptu 
party  for  them.  The  time  was  too  short  to  at- 
tempt a  dinner,  as  they  were  going  on  to  Japan  at 
midnight,  so  she  had  telephoned  for  ice-cream,  the 
loan  of  a  couple  of  home-made  cakes,  some  singing 
boys,  a  few  of  her  friends,  and  the  party  was  on. 

We  found  the  lanai  already  quite  full,  although 
Frank  and  I  had  done  no  lingering  on  either  the 
pathway  of  love,  or  the  stretch  of  road  that  divided 
us  from  Mrs.  Thornton's.  We  were  introduced 
to  Mr.  Metcalf,  a  prosperous-looking,  middle-aged 
man,  and  I  left  Frank  talking  to  him,  while  I  went 
inside  with  Mrs.  Thornton  to  meet  his  wife. 

I  passed  Mrs.  Spotfield  in  the  doorway,  and  she 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

greeted  me  cordially  with  voice  and  smile,  but  her 
eyes  sought  the  corner  where  I  had  just  seen  Billy 
Barker. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  standing  by  the  bed,  taking 
off  her  lacy  wrap,  as  we  entered. 

"  Goodness  me,  I  didn't  know  you  would  all  be 
in  full  dress !  "  Mrs.  Metcalf  exclaimed.  "  And  here 
I  am  in  a  high-neck  gown;  I  thought  you  said  to 
come  informally." 

Mrs.  Thornton  introduced  us  and  assured  Mrs. 
Metcalf,  in  the  same  breath,  that  we  were  apt  to  be 
in  low-neck  gowns  every  evening  in  Honolulu,  as 
it  was  so  warm. 

Mrs.  Metcalf  laughed  good-naturedly,  and  said 
she  didn't  really  care.  She  was  a  jolly  woman  from 
somewhere  in  the  west,  with  a  breezy,  unaffected 
manner.  She  told  us  that  she  had  a  little  lightning 
change  act  of  her  own,  and  unpinning  a  bunch  of 
rather  staid  puffs  from  the  back  of  her  hair,  she 
pulled  them  out  into  coquettish  curls,  and  put  them 
on  towards  the  front,  while,  with  a  few  deft  touches, 
she  gave  herself  quite  a  rakish  effect.  She  said 
that  she  always  did  this  when  she  wanted  to  dress 
up,  and  it  really  was  remarkable  to  see  the  differ- 
ence it  made  in  her  appearance. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  gazing  at  her  with  eyes  full 
of  interest,  and  as  we  followed  her  and  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton into  the  lanai,  she  said  to  me: 

"What  a  touch  to  introduce!  Can't  you  just 
see  it  on  the  stage — well  done,  you  know?  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  273 

I  could  see  it,  Mrs.  Chandler's  enthusiasm  was 
so  inspiring. 

Guy  Selby  joined  me  as  soon  as  we  got  outside, 
and  he  said  he  had  saved  a  seat  for  me,  where  I 
would  love  to  be,  out  of  the  glare  of  the  electric 
lights. 

How  easy  it  is  to  guide  others  if  we  are  leading 
them  to  our  own  goal ! 

There  was  no  glare  anywhere  on  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton's lanai,  and  this  was  certainly  what  might  be 
called  the  gloaming,  but  in  the  circumstances,  I  was 
perfectly  willing  to  be  there  with  Guy;  I  did  not 
even  enquire  if  he  had  put  out  the  electric  light  bulb, 
hanging  so  near  us  in  its  Japanese  screen,  or  whether 
our  hostess,  with  her  unerring  instinct,  had  arranged 
a  few  dimly-lit  corners. 

We  were  with  the  party  and  still  apart,  in  our 
little  palm-screened  nook,  and  we  sat  there  com- 
fortably, fanned  by  the  feathery  breezes  as  they 
floated  through  the  still  garden,  stirring  it  momen- 
tarily to  a  gentle  rustling,  and  sighing,  that  mingled 
with  the  murmur  of  the  surf. 

The  moon,  not  yet  risen  behind  Diamond  Head, 
sent  her  pale  rays  of  light  before  her,  a  dim  fore- 
runner of  a  later  glory,  and  the  familiar  garden 
was  a  new  and  undiscovered  land,  full  of  weird  sug- 
gestions, of  mysterious  shadows  and  obscure  dis- 
tances, the  palms  standing  tall  and  straight,  like 
ghostly  sentinels  silhouetted  against  the  starry  sky, 
the  bushes  and  trees  defined  in  strange  outlines, 
18 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

fading  farther  on  into  a  background  of  impenetrable 
density. 

And,  as  if  this  density  were  dissolving,  all  at 
once  it  seemed  to  move,  and  change,  and  mould  itself 
into  detached,  phantom-like  forms,  and  gradually 
we  could  distinguish,  creeping  through  the  garden 
towards  us,  five  dark,  stealthy  figures. 

As  they  came  nearer,  the  lights  from  the  house 
struck  the  polished  wood  of  violins,  ukuleles,  and 
guitars,  but  seeking  the  shadows,  the  five  musicians 
advanced  noiselessly,  and  grouped  themselves  at  the 
foot  of  the  steps. 

At  a  signal  from  the  leader,  with  a  startling  sud- 
denness, they  swept  their  instruments  with  their 
fingers,  and  simultaneously  they  broke  into  a  rollick- 
ing hula,  a  song  with  an  irresistible  whoop,  and  a 
dash,  and  abandon,  their  mellow  voices  blending  into 
a  perfect  harmony  of  sound. 

Used  as  I  was  to  this  abrupt  mode  of  introduc- 
ing a  garden  concert,  I  would  have  jumped,  just 
the  same,  had  I  not  watched  the  advance  and  been 
prepared  for  the  onslaught,  but  every  one  else  was 
taken  by  surprise  and  the  boys  showed  their  white 
teeth  in  broad  smiles  of  satisfaction. 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  genuine  delight  of 
the  Horatio  Metcalfs  and,  as  the  plaintive  meles 
and  inspiriting  hulas  alternated,  filling  the  air  with 
melody,  as  the  moon  rose  and  converted  the  garden 
into  a  fairy-like  delicacy  of  beauty,  and  as  the 
lights,  and  perfumes,  and  breezes,  and  music,  melted 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  275 

into  one  delicious  impression  of  luxurious  softness, 
it  did  seem  as  if  blessed  indeed  was  the  hostess  of 
Hawaii. 

Ours  was  not  the  only  palm-screened  nook. 
Mrs.  Spotfield  had  discovered  another,  just  deserted 
by  Mrs.  Kapua  and  the  Commodore,  and  she  was 
leading  Billy  Barker  to  it,  when  Adrienne  Singlee 
sprang  from  her  seat  and  said  solicitously : 

"  Sit  here,  do ;  you'll  like  this  comfy  old  arm- 
chair; we'll  take  those  straight,  hard  chairs." 

She  and  Cherub  took,  or  rather  snatched  them, 
without  even  waiting  to  be  thanked.  Perhaps  it 
was  as  well.  Guy  joined  in  my  laugh;  it  certainly 
was  funny  to  an  onlooker.  But,  it  took  courage  for 
a  coup  like  that.  Of  course  Adrienne  and  Cherub 
had  the  palm-screened  nook  for  their  reward. 

And  it  was  not  more  than  ten  minutes  when  Mrs. 
Chandler,  who  had  been  talking  to  Mr.  Metcalf,  had 
Billy  Barker  with  her  instead.  I  really  don't  know 
how  she  did  it,  but  she  had  somehow  exchanged  men, 
and  Mr.  Metcalf  was  trying  to  get  on  with  Mrs. 
Spotfield,  whose  smile  had  vanished  entirely.  I  made 
up  my  mind  that  I  would  not  get  into  Mrs.  Spot- 
field's  bad  books  that  evening. 

It  was  only  a  little  later  that  Frank  took  Mrs. 
Kapua  for  a  walk  in  the  garden.  Mrs.  Kapua 
was  really  getting  accustomed  to  the  habit  of  chang- 
ing partners  and  the  look  she  .gave  Frank,  as  they 
went  down  the  steps  and  she  slipped  her  arm  through 
his,  showed  an  adaptability  at  least. 


276  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

As  far  as  I  was  concerned,  I  really  didn't  care 
as  they  disappeared  into  the  shadows  arm  in  arm. 
I  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Frank  and  I  would 
be  the  sort  of  couple  that  would  get  along  reason- 
ably well,  because  each  would  pursue  a  separate 
way.  Or  else,  we  might  not  become  a  couple  at  all. 
And  it  is  wonderful  how  the  mind  adjusts  itself  to 
new  conditions.  I  could  even  see  myself  adjusted. 

The  Metcalfs  started  for  their  ship  at  about 
eleven.  Mrs.  Thornton  had  a  big  basket  full  of 
leis,  which  she  divided  amongst  us,  and  we  fairly 
covered  Mrs.  Metcalf  with  flowers,  until  she  looked 
like  a  popular  kamaaina,  instead  of  a  stranger  in 
town  for  just  a  few  hours.  Mr.  Metcalf  was  shy 
about  being  decked  out  so  festively,  but  he  sub- 
mitted to  a  wreath  around  his  hat,  and  at  last  they 
went  off,  declaring  they  would  never  be  happy  until 
they  could  come  back  to  Honolulu,  for  they  knew 
now,  and  would  never  forget,  what  was  meant  by  the 
Aloha  of  the  Islands. 

Their  departure  was  a  signal  for  most  of  the 
others  to  leave,  but  a  few  of  us,  hospitably  pressed 
by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thornton  to  stay,  at  least  as  long 
as  the  music  did,  lingered  behind  and,  as  the  last 
carriage  drove  off,  we  went  indoors  for  some  punch. 

"  You  needn't  be  afraid  of  it ;  it's  harmless," 
said  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  Not  like  your  awful  ship 
punch ! "  she  added,  turning  laughingly  to  Guy 
Selby  and  Cherub  Billkins. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  277 

"  We  don't  want  any  harmless  punch !  "  cried 
those  two  incorrigible  youths,  in  a  spontaneous 
chorus. 

"  Take  heart,"  said  Billy  Barker,  "  take  heart! 
It's  the  versatile  punch  bowl  we  have  here,  in 
Hawaii,  and  it  is  the  Jekyll  and  Hyde  drink  that 
comes  out  of  it.  We  call  it  conveniently :  '  Summer's 
Delight,'  or  the  <  Salome  Wriggle.'  The  first  is 
drunk  by  Prohibition." 

"  Heavens !  "  cried  Mrs.  Thornton.  "  What  a 
libel!" 

"  I  should  call  it  a  give-away,"  amended  Mrs. 
Chandler,  shaking  her  finger  at  Billy. 

"  I've  always  been  misunderstood,"  said  Billy. 

66  Well,  here's  to  a  perfect  understanding ! " 
said  the  Commodore,  his  glance  meeting  Mrs. 
Kapua's. 

I  looked  carelessly  about.  I  did  not  intend 
to  know  if  Guy  was  trying  to  catch  my  eye,  and 
I  did  not  want  to  know  if  Frank  wasn't. 

Mrs.  Spotfield,  at  Billy's  left  hand,  was  drinking 
to  him,  with  a  murmured  remark,  and  Mrs.  Chand- 
ler, on  the  right,  was  touching  her  glass  to  his  with 
a  gay  clinking;  and  Billy  was  manfully  responding 
with  his  usual  impartiality,  although  I  was  begin- 
ning to  think  that  Mrs.  Chandler  had  gone  ahead  in 
the  scoring. 

Adrienne  and  Cherub  were  lost  to  the  world,  as 
they  sat  together,  a  couple  of  happy  children. 


278  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Mrs.  Thornton  slipped  her  hand,  with  its  glass 
full  of  punch,  around  her  husband's,  and  they  drank 
with  interlocked  arms. 

"  And  who  is  going  to  give  a  bathing  party 
before  this  moon  is  on  the  wane? "  asked  Billy 
Barker. 

No  one  volunteered. 

"  It  is  on  the  wane,"  I  said. 

"  My,  what  pessimism !  "  Billy  looked  at  me 
with  mild  surprise.  "  Well,  I  suppose  it's  up  to 
me  to  wake  the  night." 

"  Honolulu  doesn't  have  to  be  awakened,"  said 
Mrs.  Spotfield,  smiling  at  him  as  if  he  were  respon- 
sible. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Billy. 

"  I  don't  see  what  you  have  to  complain  of," 
continued  Mrs.  Spotfield,  warming  to  her  theme, 
"  there's  always  something  going  on,  and  now, — now 
we  have  even  a  diamond  theft  to  stir  us  up." 

"A  burglar,"  interposed  Mrs.  Kapua  quickly. 
"A  burglar  doesn't  suit  our  climate,  so  I  beg  of 
you  not  to  get  on  that  subject." 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Mrs.  Spotfield,  "  while  I 
was  in  Washington  last  winter,  there  was  a  luncheon 
given,  at  which  a  platinum  purse  set  with  diamonds 
was  missing.  The  hostess  forthwith  ordered  a  dupli- 
cate of  the  purse  to  be  made  and  presented  it  to  her 
unfortunate  guest,  assuring  her  that  it  was  the 
least  she  could  do  to  make  amends.  Now,  what  do 
you  think  of  that?" 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  279 

"  Goodness  gracious  eh,  is  that  expected  of  me !  " 
cried  Mrs.  Kapua. 

Everybody  laughed  and  the  Commodore  said  the 
iWashington  hostess  was  probably  trying  to  shield 
some  one. 

"  Search  politics,"  added  the  Commodore. 
"  Very  likely  she  had  a  favor  to  ask  from  the  hus- 
band of  the  guest  she  suspected.  These  hushed-up 
affairs  are  always  due  to  diplomacy — or  charity." 

"  Oh !  Isn't  all  this  mystery  exciting !  "  said 
Mrs.  Chandler.  "  I  love  it.  Fancy  what  a  turn, — 
well  worked  up,  you  know, — three  good  parts.  A 
young  and  beautiful  woman,  two  society  men " 

"  Both  handsome,"  cried  Mrs.   Thornton. 

"  Spread  the  beauty,"  suggested  Billy  Barker. 

"  In  her  hair,"  continued  Mrs.  Chandler,  ignor- 
ing the  interruption,  "  in  her  hair  shines  a  diamond 
ornament  of  wondrous  lustre.  The  curtain  goes  up 
on  an  empty  stage ;  the  Star,  in  a  ball  gown,  enters 
with  a  light  laugh,  followed  by  two  men  in  dress 
suits.  As  she  comes  in, — like  this " 

Almost  unconsciously,  Mrs.  Chandler  got  up  and 
arranged  three,  or  four  chairs  at  the  other  end  of 
the  room  with  a  couple  of  big,  branching  palms  for 
a  background,  pulled  out  a  sofa,  rolled  a  table  near 
it,  put  her  fan,  a  small  pot  of  ferns,  and  a  couple 
of  books  on  top  and,  with  a  touch  here  and  there, 
she  had  arranged  a  stage  setting.  Getting  behind 
one  of  the  palms  for  an  instant,  she  came  forward 
with  an  indescribable  poise  and  grace,  somehow 


280  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

conveying  the  impression  that  she  was  not  alone* 
Beyond  question,  she  must  have  often  acted  in 
private  theatricals,  her  ease  was  so  marked. 

"Enter  the  Star.  Right.  The  diamonds  are 
in  her  hair.  Here  stands  Mr.  Jones " 

"  I  choose  to  be  Jones ;  he  looks  good  to  me," 
said  the  Commodore,  as  Mrs.  Chandler  placed  a 
chair  to  represent  Jones. 

"  And  here,  beside  me,  is  Mr.  Brown.  I  am 
flirtatious,  frivolous, — no  expostulations  from  the 
audience  please,  Mrs.  Thornton — I  am  thinking 
only  of  my  fascinations  and  rejoicing  in  my  power 
in  having  taken  two  such  desirable  men  away  from 
all  the  other  women  who  have  been  trying  to  get 
them." 

"So  perfect  for  your  type,"  murmured  Mrs. 
Spotfield. 

"  Both  my  escorts  are  well  known.  Club  men, 
popular  in  society,  young,  handsome,  and  all  that, 
you  know." 

"  I  protest,"  muttered  Billy  Barker,  rising  and 
holding  up  a  hand,  "  they're  not  the  whole  show." 

"  Don't  interrupt  such  a  perfect  description  of 
the  escorts  with  a  jealous  outburst,"  said  Guy 
Selby,  springing  to  his  feet. 

Cherub  Billkins  raised  his  hand.  "  Please,"  he 
said.  "  Please !  The  villain  has  not  lit  a  cigarette 
yet!" 

"  Sit  down  and  be  good,"  said  Mrs.  Chandler. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  281 

Both  gentlemen  resumed  their  seats. 

"  After  a  few  words,  in  which  it  becomes  appa- 
rent by  my  attitude  that  I  prefer  one  man  to  the 
other, — say  Mr.  Brown,  here,  is  my  favorite " 

"  Fickle  one !  "  cried  the  Commodore. 

"He  being  Jones  the  while,"  explained  Billy 
Barker,  who  certainly  would  have  made  a  first-class 
spieler. 

Mrs.  Chandler  had  taken  her  place  where  Mr. 
Brown  was  supposed  to  stand  and  in  a  gruff  voice, 
she  said  : 

"  Well,  I  must  be  off ;  I  have  a  lot  of  work  to- 
morrow, by  Jove,  and  I  must  be  up  early  in  the 
morning." 

The  audience  laughed  aloud  as  Mrs.  Chandler, 
with  a  manly  stride,  crossed  the  stage. 

"  Mr.  Jones  is  now  speaking :  '  Oh,  forget  it, 
Brown!'" 

The  audience  gave  way  once  more  to  unre- 
strained mirth.  But  Mrs.  Chandler,  unheeding, 
returned  to  her  first  place  and  again  sweetly 
feminine,  said  prettily  and  very  girlishly : 

"  Oh,  please  forget  it,  Mr.  Brown." 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  the  Commodore.  "  Let 
me  suggest  here.  Smooth  things  out  a  bit;  have  it 
understood  that  the  two  men  are  wealthy,  favorites 
of  fortune,  money  no  object — don't  give, your  plot 
away  at  the  start " 

There  was  a  pause.  It  was  a  thoughtless  inter- 
polation. If  the  representation  had  started  tp 


282  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

be  literal,  why  not  leave  it  so?  Why  make  both 
men  out  rich;  it  brought  to  a  focus  the  well- 
known  fact  that  one  was  not.  Any  amount  of 
suggestion  had  been  opened  out  in  an  instant.  It 
was  worthy  of  Mrs.  Spotfield;  it  would  be  like 
her  with  her  lack  of  tact,  but  it  wasn't  like  the 
Commodore. 

No  one  seemed  uncomfortable.  Still,  the  pause 
was  almost  awkward. 

"  Too  much  monotony,"  said  Frank  quietly. 
"  Call  one  of  the  men  poor.  Poor — but  honest. 
That  points  the  moral,  Mrs.  Chandler." 

"  But  money  comes  in  so  handy,  my  boy ;  it 
adorns  the  tale,  you  know,"  said  the  Commodore. 

"  It  is  handy,"  Frank  said  briefly.  "  As  you 
say,  Commodore,  it  covers  a  multitude  of  sins." 

The  Commodore  hadn't  said  it.  Frank  was 
looking  straight  at  him,  as  he  spoke.  And  the 
Commodore  returned  the  look  in  full  measure.  He 
had  never  really  taken  to  Frank,  any  more  than 
Frank  had  to  him.  There  had  been  a  mutual  antag- 
onism from  the  start,  although  the  Commodore  had 
made  every  effort  to  hide  it.  That  antagonism  was 
now  perhaps  fostered,  by  an  open  rivalry,  into 
unmistakable  dislike. 

I  recalled,  and  I  wondered  whether  Frank  did 
too,  the  expression  on  the  Commodore's  face  when 
he  shot  into  the  cocoanut  tree.  An  implacable 
enemy — a  rich  and  powerful  man.  Had  he  thrown 
suspicion  on  Frank  intentionally?  Or,  harboring 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  suspicion,  had  he  betrayed  it  thoughtlessly? 
Not  likely.  Could  it  be  possible  that  he  actually 
believed  Frank  had  stolen  the  pin? 

"  Do  go  on,  Mrs.  Chandler,"  said  Frank.  "  Mr. 
Brown  was  just  going  to  work,  you  know." 

"Well,  me  for  Sunny  Hawaii,"  said  Billy 
Barker  lazily, 

"  The  fish  they  fill  the  ocean, 
The  taro's  on  the  shore, 
So  who — would  make — a  motion, 
When  work — is — such — a — bore  ?" 

Although  rather  halting  in  its  delivery,  this  must 
have  seemed  an  almost  inspired  bit  of  impromptu 
work  to  Billy,  judging  by  his  pleased  expression. 
He  sat  back  with  a  satisfied  sigh. 

"  Is  that  a  hint  for  me  to  ring  down  the  cur- 
tain?" asked  Mrs.  Chandler,  with  a  laugh.  She 
sank  into  a  chair  by  Billy,  and  said :  "  Fan  me." 

Mrs.  Spotfield  looked  a  volume  of  satire;  she 
could  do  no  more,  as  Billy  turned  from  her  and  with 
the  same  fan  he  had  been  using  chivalrously  in  her 
behalf,  and  which  no  doubt  belonged  to  her,  he 
leaned  over  Mrs.  Chandler  to  do  her  bidding. 

"  You  should  have  been  a  diplomat !  "  I  over- 
heard the  Commodore  say  in  an  undertone  to  Billy 
Barker. 

And  I  hated  him  at  that  moment.  He  had  de- 
liberately turned  Billy's  good-hearted  interruption 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

into  a  charitable  endeavor  to  help  Frank  out  of  an 
awkward  position. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  gayly  unconscious,  and 
laughingly  accepted  the  compliments  showered  upon 
her  for  her  unexpected  histrionic  ability.  There 
was  nothing  malicious  about  her.  Mrs.  Spotfield 
would  be  likely  to  stir  up  a  hornets'  nest  purposely, 
but  in  Mrs.  Chandler's  composition  there  was  noth- 
ing of  that;  she  had  forgotten  everything  but  the 
interest  of  her  clever  little  sketch,  and  the  fun  she 
had  got  out  of  it. 

"  It's  time  for  the  second  act,"  said  Mrs.  Spot- 
field,  not  altogether  playfully,  as  she  watched  the 
wielding  of  her  own  fan  in  another's  cause. 

But  the  Commodore  quickly,  and  pointedly,  in- 
terposed. It  was  not  what  he  said;  it  was  in  his 
manner  and  expression  that  he  showed  a  disapproval 
out  of  all  proportion. 

Mrs.  Kapua  rose  and  walked  slowly  across  the 
room  to  one  of  the  big  palms  that  contributed  to 
the  stage  setting,  slowly  and  with  the  grace  pecu- 
liarly her  own,  which  could  come  only  from  an  ances- 
try that  had  never  known  the  restraint  of  modern 
dress. 

"  I  will  give  the  second  act  eh,"  she  said. 

And  amidst  the  applause  of  a  delighted  audi- 
ence, she  called  out  something  to  the  boys  in  the 
garden.  She  spoke  in  Hawaiian,  a  musical  flow  of 
vowel  notes.  The  boys,  in  response,  struck  up  a 
lively  ragtime  tune. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  285 

Mrs.  Kapua  stood  perfectly  still  for  a  moment. 
Then,  walking  to  the  end  of  the  room  with  an  in- 
describable lightness  and  swinging  ease  of  motion, 
holding  the  train  of  her  soft,  white  gown  in  one 
hand,  she  stood  before  an  imaginary  mirror,  turning 
her  head  from  side  to  side  and  adjusting  the  red 
hibiscus  that  she  had  taken  from  a  vase  and  stuck 
in  the  front  of  her  hair.  One  almost  forgot  the 
hibiscus  and  saw  only  the  imaginary  diamonds 
instead  and  caught  their  sparkle,  and  flash,  as  she 
intended,  while  her  beautiful  smile  expressed  the 
pleasure  she  felt  in  their  brilliancy. 

She  left  the  mirror,  at  last,  and  as  she  did  so, 
she  made  an  almost  imperceptible  sign  to  the  boys 
outside.  Abruptly  they  changed  to  one  of  their 
own  plaintive  melodies  with  its  minor  chords  of 
melting  sadness,  every  note  a  tear.  Mrs.  Kapua, 
coming  forward,  until  evidently  reaching  the  two 
men  described  by  Mrs.  Chandler,  stood  between  them 
and  showed  plainly  by  gesture  and  expression  that 
she  was  bidding  them  both  good  night. 

"  Mr.  Jones  and  Mr.  Brown  have  decided  to  go 
together  eh,"  she  said,  in  an  explanation  that  really 
was  not  needed. 

It  was  all  apparent,  and  the  exit  of  the  two  men 
as  she  followed  them  to  the  palm,  the  sudden  going 
out  of  the  lights  before  they  left,  and  the  equally 
sudden  relighting,  were  vividly  portrayed.  She  had 
turned  her  back,  for  a  moment,  and  the  hibiscus 
was  gone.  By  her  pantomime,  she  had  conveyed 


286  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

a  whole  scene  and  brought  her  audience  to  a  point 
of  breathless  interest. 

It  was  as  natural  for  Mrs.  Kapua  to  act  by 
gestures,  as  it  was  for  Mrs.  Chandler  to  speak. 
I  have  seen  a  couple  of  Hawaiian  women  discuss  a 
question,  revolve  it,  and  come  to  a  conclusion,  with- 
out a  single  word  being  uttered.  Supple  hands, 
flexible  wrists  and  arms,  expressive  eyes,  a  mouth 
that  speaks  in  glimpses  of  white  teeth,  and  in  dimples 
and  curves,  this  and  more  too  is  possible  to  the 
daughters  of  Hawaii. 

66  Bravo,  bravo ! "  cried  Mrs.  Chandler,  with  an 
enthusiasm  so  spontaneous,  and  an  appreciation  so 
real,  that  it  was  irresistibly  infectious. 

Mrs.  Kapua  held  up  her  hand  to  silence  us  and 
we  became  quiet.  One  could  have  heard  a  pin  drop. 
She  stood  in  an  attitude  of  listening,  half  turning 
to  the  window,  as  though  from  there  came  the  sound 
that  had  disturbed  her.  But  all  was  still  again  and 
with  a  sigh,  her  whole  body  relaxing  as  she  moved 
away  and  sank  into  a  chair,  she  let  her  thoughts 
run  riot  in  a  dream  where  some  scene  of  gayety  and 
pleasure  was  being  enacted. 

Gradually  one  could  see  a  disturbing  influence 
once  more  gain  ascendency.  Again  there  was  a 
sound  in  the  direction  of  the  window;  it  became 
more  distinct.  And  now,  there  was  no  question 
about  it.  Rising  slowly,  afraid  to  move,  and  yet 
impelled,  her  lithe  body  stiff,  frozen  with  terror, 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  287 

by  degrees  she  summoned  up  her  courage  and  forced 
her  gaze  to  the  window.  Nothing  was  there,  but 
approaching  slowly,  inch  by  inch,,  there  was  a 
stealthy,  creeping  something. 

Cold  shivers  ran  up  and  down  my  back;  the 
stillness  in  the  room  was  unbroken  except  by  the 
wail  of  the  violin,  a  weird  undertone  of  accompani- 
ment. Her  frightened  eyes  always  on  the  window, 
Mrs.  Kapua,  retreating  slowly,  got  behind  one  of 
the  palms  and  from  her  position  of  concealment, 
looked  out  fearfully  on  the  imaginary  scene  before 
her,  expressing  in  her  face  the  emotions  of  watching 
some  one  climb  in,  a  furtive,  gliding  creature,  draw- 
ing nearer  and  nearer  until  within  a  few  feet  of  her 
hiding  place,  her  shock  as  she  felt  in  vain  for  the 
diamonds  in  her  hair  to  tear  them  out,  to  fling  them, 
to  stop  at  any  cost  the  advance, — but,  at  last,  the 
pause,  the  finding  of  some  object,  the  return,  the 
window  again, — and  out,  and  down,  and  away — 
beyond  her  sight. 

No  one  spoke  until  Billy  Barker,  with  a  long- 
drawn  breath,  half  a  whistle,  said: 

"  Phew — Mrs.  Kapua,  that  is  going  some !  " 

She  came  forward  with  her  musical  laugh. 
"  That  was  the  Porto  Rican  thief  who  has  so  far 
eluded  the  police.  Waikiki  has  been  his  special 
haunt,  as  you  know.  He  did  not  dream  when  he 
came  to  my  house  that  I  boast  of  my  kahuna  inherit- 
ance. A  kahuna  is  a  good  detective.  When  the 


288  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Porto  Rican  is  captured  eh,  there  will  be  no  more 
mystery." 

"  A  simple  enough  solution,"  said  the  Commo- 
dore. 

Frank  was  near  me.  "  Too  simple,"  he  mur- 
mured significantly,  so  low  that  no  one  could  over- 
hear. 

But  I  did  not  ask  him  what  he  meant.  Why 
had  Mrs.  Kapua  given  an  interpretation  so  new, 
so  unexpected,  so  almost  inspired  in  its  originality 
and  cleverness  of  conception?  Whether  accepted 
or  not,  it  had  diverted  discussion  into  a  new  chan- 
nel. Was  she  trying  to  save  Frank  from  the  sus- 
picion so  clearly  pointing  to  him?  Did  she  think 
him  guilty?  Or,  was  her  motive  the  mere  deflection 
of  the  gossip  that  threatened  to  engulf  him?  In 
any  case,  she  had  interposed  in  his  behalf.  Her 
whole  attitude  was  a  generous  one.  It  had  come  in 
her  way  to  mediate  at  a  moment  when  she  felt  he 
needed  a  champion.  She  had  thought  quickly;  her 
action  had  been  prompt  and  decisive.  I  could  be 
fair ;  I  could  see  that  she  had  done  more  than  I. 
Little  as  she  may  have  accomplished,  admitting  it 
was  only  a  momentary  diversion,  she  had  not  wav- 
ered. She  had  not  waited,  and  wondered,  and 
weighed,  and  consulted. 

While  I,  with  the  power  to  interpose  what  I 
thought  would  be  a  lasting  good,  had  sat  by  pas- 
sively. Influenced  by  what  ?  Her  growing  intimacy 
with  Frank,  the  visit  to  her  own  remote  cottage  with 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  289 

my  lover,  his  inconstancy — if  it  had  come  to  that. 
I  had  not  been  able  to  forget  myself,  my  pride,  my 
doubts.  I  thought  of  Kaala,  on  the  way  to  that 
cottage,  and  of  the  gossip  about  Frank,  even  in  that 
little  lane.  I  looked  at  the  Commodore,  and  I  felt 
again  a  cold  clutch  at  my  heart.  We  had  not  yet 
got  to  the  end.  Could  I  put  myself  aside  and  remem- 
ber only  Frank's  need? 

And  when  he  was  safe,  when  this  wretched  affair 
had  quite  died  out — I  would  go  to  Europe — by 
myself • 

But  now — I  could  help  him  now.  And  now  was 
the  time. 

"  Frank !  "  I  said  with  a  half  sob. 

A  man  hates  to  jump,  he  hates  to  be  startled  out 
of  a  manly  calm.  And  he  does  not  outgrow  his  scorn 
for  the  nervous  outburst  of  an  impressionable 
school-girl.  But,  before  he  could  recover  from  the 
shock  of  my  explosive,  hysterical  voicing  of  his 
name,  I  had  rushed  in  and  told  him  that  I  had 
confided  our  engagement  to  Mrs.  Thornton,  and  I 
was  going  to  ask  her  to  announce  it,  announce  it 
now,  on  this  auspicious  occasion.  I  think  I  said 
something  like  that, 

If  Frank  had  said  no,  I  would  have  gone  ahead 
then,  just  the  same;  if  he  had  proposed  to  break 
it  all  off,  I  could  scarcely  have  been  deterred. 

We  were  standing  apart  from  the  others.  Mrs. 
Kapua  was  the  centre  of  attraction.  She  was  ex- 
plaining her  kahuna  power  and  no  one  seemed  to 
10 


290  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

doubt  she  had  found  the  thief.  Adrienne  had  sug- 
gested ringing  up  the  police  without  delay.  Mrs. 
Thornton  had  gone  outside  to  speak  to  the  singing 
boys.  No  one  was  paying  the  slightest  attention 
to  us. 

Frank's  eyes  met  mine  in  a  long,  a  steady  gaze. 

"  Dear  one,"  he  said,  "  it  is  all  right  at  last. 
Come,  we  will  go  to  her  together." 


XX. 

THROUGH  the  remainder  of  that  evening  at  Mrs. 
Thornton's  I  had  been  in  a  dream.  Nothing  stood 
out  clearly  except  Mrs.  Kapua's  congratulations, 
seemingly  from  the  heart,  and  the  Commodore's  that 
unmistakably  were  not.  Mrs.  Thornton,  right  then 
and  there,  had  invited  the  whole  party  to  a  break- 
fast in  our  honor.  For  although  Sunday  was  only 
two  days  off,  every  one  present  could  come,  while 
during  the  week,  there  was  something  to  prevent, 
and  either  one  or  the  other  could  not  be  secured. 
So,  after  some  consideration,  the  day  and  hour 
were  decided  upon. 

Out  of  the  vague,  misty  recollections  of  what- 
ever else  transpired,  was  the  fact  that  Guy  Selby 
showed  no  surprise.  I  had  been  so  absent-minded 
throughout  the  evening,  he  told  me,  that  when  he 
enquired:  "Who's  my  rival?"  I  had  replied: 
"  Mrs.  Kapua."  He  assured  me  that,  after  that, 
all  was  easy. 

I  had  refrained  from  asking  Frank  why  he  had 
been  so  ready  to  announce  our  engagement  then,  and 
so  unwilling  before.  Perhaps  what  had  seemed  like 
readiness  was  only  a  graceful  surrender.  Although 
we  had  had  but  little  time  alone,  being  drawn  into 
the  inevitable  whirl  that  Frank  had  predicted,  still 
love  will  find  a  way ;  I  had  rather  avoided  the  way. 
Kaala,  the  sunny  lane,  the  dark  red  cottage — an 
almost  hidden  nest — were  still  secrets  of  the  past. 

291 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

I  had  not  alluded  to  Mrs.  Kapua;  apparently  she 
did  not  exist  for  me.  Frank  vouchsafed  no  explana- 
tions ;  I  don't  believe  it  occurred  to  him  that  I  was 
waiting  for  any.  He  was  satisfied  to  be  with  me  and 
his  expression  was  one  of  perfect  content.  The  in- 
tuition, once  so  distinctly  his,  had  failed  him  com- 
pletely. It  should  have  warned  him  now,  if  my  man- 
ner did  not,  that  there  was  something  wrong.  How- 
ever, I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  ask  for  no 
information,  to  court  no  confidences ;  I  had  done  my 
part.  My  trip  to  Europe — alone — was  in  abey- 
ance. 

I  arrived  at  Mrs.  Thornton's  in  good  time  for 
the  breakfast,  and  she  drew  me  aside  to  tell  me  that 
she  had  expected  woodcock  by  the  steamer,  due 
from  Japan  the  day  before,  and  had  counted 
on  this  delicacy  for  a  course.  Her  menu  was  dis- 
turbed, as  the  Maru  was  late,  and  she  had  to 
substitute  brains  at  the  last  moment,  she  couldn't 
even  get  sweetbreads.  She  was  so  disappointed, 
that  I  told  her  I  was  really  mixed  as  to  whether  the 
woodcock,  or  our  engagement,  was  the  incentive  for 
the  present  function. 

"  *  Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due,'  "  I  added  with 
all  the  significance  I  could  muster. 

Mrs.  Thornton  laughed.  "  But  brains  as  a 
substitute  entree  has  been  worked  overtime,"  she 
said ;  "  and  now,  what  about  the  woodcock  when 
they  do  come?  Would  you  give  a  luncheon,  or  a 
dinner  for  them  ?  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

This  was  still  open  to  discussion  when  we  re- 
turned to  the  farther  end  of  the  lanai,  where  every 
one  had  assembled. 

Mrs.  Kapua  was  not  there,  but  in  a  few  moments 
her  carriage  drove  up.  She  looked  so  handsome, 
as  she  ascended  the  steps,  that  there  was  an  involun- 
tary pause  in  the  hum  of  conversation.  We  were  all 
staring  at  her,  as  she  walked  with  her  swaying, 
easy  grace  across  from  the  steps  towards  us. 

She  was  dressed  in  white  with  no  touch  of  color 
except  her  ruby  pendant,  richly  red  as  the  light 
struck  it  and  set  it  aglow,  toning  in  with  the  soft 
crimson  of  her  cheeks  and  lips,  vying  with  the  deep 
lustre  of  her  eyes. 

As  Mrs.  Thornton  advanced  to  meet  her,  Mrs. 
Kapua  paused  and  held  out  both  ungloved  hands, 
tightly  shut. 

"  Which  hand  will  you  choose?  "  she  asked. 

Without  waiting  for  an  answer,  she  opened  the 
right  one,  palm  up,  and  moved  it  into  a  ray  of  sun- 
shine that  filtered  through  the  vines;  a  thousand 
lights,  and  glints,  and  sparkles,  and  flashes,  caught 
every  eye. 

"  Here  is  your  sunburst  eh,"  she  said  simply. 
66 1  found  it  this  morning.  I  am  so  glad  that  I  just 
had  to  come  and  tell  you  myself.  I  really  could  not 
telephone — I  waited  to  bring  you  the  pin." 

She  gave  the  glittering  stones  to  Mrs.  Thorn- 
ton; henceforth  their  sparkle  could  be  only  glitter 
to  me. 


294  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  Oh,"  murmured  Mrs.  Thornton.  She  gazed 
at  her  pin  with  wide  eyes  of  surprise  and  growing 
delight.  "  Oh-h-h »  She  turned  to  Mr.  Thorn- 
ton, "  Oh,  George,"  she  said,  like  a  happy  child. 

And  that  was  all.  But  somehow  I  felt  just  like 
crying.  Even  Billy  Barker  looked  subdued.  It 
seemed  very  sweet  to  have  some  one  to  whom  to  turn 
with  every  joy  and  sorrow,  some  one  in  whom  you 
had  perfect  trust,  some  one  who  really  cared.  Her 
faith  would  not  be  easily  shaken ;  it  had  been  built 
on  a  firm  foundation. 

Mr.  Thornton  put  his  arm  around  his  wife,  and 
they  stood  together  while  she  held  the  pin  aloft, 
waving  it  in  the  air  and  smiling  at  the  Babel  of 
exclamations  and  congratulations  all  about  her. 

"Where  did  you  find  it,  Mrs.  Kapua?  "  asked 
Mr.  Thornton,  when  he  had  a  chance,  at  last. 

"  It  was  caught  in  the  beads  of  the  portiere  eh." 

Mrs.  Kapua  waited  a  moment  until  our  astonish- 
ment would  permit  her  to  speak.  When  everybody 
had  quieted  down  a  bit,  she  explained  how  the  pin 
must  have  slipped  out  of  Mrs.  Thornton's  hair  as 
she  passed  through  the  slender  strands  of  beads, 
that  swung  and  swirled  at  the  slightest  touch,  and 
how  it  had  been  tangled  amongst  them, — so  firmly 
held  in  fact,  that  the  pin  had  to  be  cut  out  finally 
from  amongst  the  strings. 

"  It  must  slip  out  too  easily,  Mrs.  Thornton," 
the  Commodore  said.  "  Couldn't  you  have  a  more 
secure  fastening?  " 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  295 

He  turned  to  Mr.  Thornton  and  offered  to  show 
him  a  device  to  insure  the  safety  of  his  wife's  jewels. 
Mr.  Thornton  said  he  would  be  glad  to  borrow  the 
idea  and  to  put  it  in  use  as  soon  as  possible. 

"  Let  me  see  your  pin,"  said  Frank  to  Mrs. 
Thornton. 

His  tone  was  strained;  it  sounded  forced,  un- 
natural. His  demand  might  have  been :  "  Your 
money  or  your  life ! "  There  was  a  ring  of  inten- 
sity in  it  that  seemed  quite  out  of  proportion  to 
such  a  simple  request.  We  were  all  so  excited 
though,  that  no  wonder  Frank  was  not  himself. 

Mrs.  Thornton  handed  him  the  diamonds,  and 
Frank  examined  them  as  though  he  had  never  seen 
the  ornament  before.  Turning  it  over,  he  looked  at 
the  back. 

"It  isn't  hurt,  is  it?"  cried  Mrs.  Thornton. 

"Is  it  not  remarkable,"  the  Commodore  spoke 
with  slow  emphasis.  "  Is  it  not  remarkable  that 
such  a  bit  of  brilliancy  should  remain  undiscovered 
like  this?  Right  in  a  lanal  where  we  have  been — > 
perhaps  a  dozen  times,  or  more,  since  its  loss ! " 

It  was  remarkable  of  course.  And  it  was  surely 
true  that  the  Commodore  had  been  in  that  lanal  a 
dozen  times,  or  more. 

"  After  all,  the  explanation  is  simple,"  said  Mrs. 
Kapua.  "  To  start  with,  our  search  of  course 
was  never  up  in  the  air;  no  one  thought  of  the 
portiere — how  Yone  ever  happened  to  look  there, 
I  do  not  know;  and  neither  does  she.  The  pin  has 


296  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

been  in  a  dark  corner  where  the  daylight  could  never 
strike  it;  even  if  we  had  caught  a  gleam  from  it, 
we  would  probably  have  thought  it  was  the  beads 
of  the  portiere  that  were  shining.  At  night,  you 
know,  the  lanai  is  always  dimly  lit, — on  moonlight 
nights,  not  at  all,  and  at  other  times,  only  with 
shaded  lanterns." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Commodore,  with  a  deep  sigh, 
"  «  all's  well  that  ends  well.'  " 

And  his  words  found  an  echo  in  my  heart. 

We  went  in  to  breakfast.  Of  course  the  dia- 
monds and  their  wonderful  recovery  continued  to  be 
the  subject  of  discussion.  Every  time  the  conver- 
sation changed,  for  a  moment,  it  quickly  came  back 
again  to  this  absorbing  topic;  we  could  think  of 
nothing  else.  Tales  of  startling  losses  and  marvel- 
lous recoveries,  of  stolen  jewels  that  had  never  been 
traced,  and  all  sorts  of  burglaries,  followed  one 
another  in  rapid  succession. 

I  was  glad  I  could  be  quiet  and  did  not  have  to 
talk.  The  sudden  reappearance  of  the  diamonds 
had  been  almost  as  great  a  shock,  though  a  more 
pleasurable  one,  than  their  loss  and  what  it  had 
entailed.  I  could  not  think  it  over  clearly ;  I  could 
only  sit  and  try  to  realize  that  this  great  mystery, 
with  its  heart  throbbing  possibilities,  was  in  an  in- 
stant wiped  out,  as  though  it  had  never  been.  Only 
the  memory  of  it,  like  the  bruise  after  a  cruel  blow, 
was  left. 

The    Commodore    raised   his    glass,      "  Smiling 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  297 

Hawaii,"  he  said,  "  smiling  seas,  smiling  skies,  smil- 
ing people — here's  to  all  happy  conclusions."  His 
glance  included  Frank  and  me,  with  Mrs.  Thornton. 
"  Mrs.  Chandler  and  I  would  never  have  sailed  away 
while  you  were  in  pilikia;  we  will  find  it  hard  enough 
to  go,  at  best." 

"Go!"  cried  Mrs.  Thornton.  "Why,  what 
do  you  mean  ?  " 

Adrienne  Singlee,  her  eyes  as  round  as  saucers, 
and  both  on  Mrs.  Kapua,  murmured :  "  Going." 
Her  inflection  was  downward. 

And  I  knew  that  if  she  had  been  near  enough 
to  me,  she  would  have  added :  "  Mrs.  Kapua  at 
large!" 

Mrs.  Spotfield  with  nicely  modulated  regret,  and 
a  smile  adjusted  to  fit,  said:  "  Oh,  don't  go ;  we  can't 
spare  you." 

But  when  she  turned  the  smile  on  Billy  Barker, 
he  was  gazing  at  Mrs.  Chandler,  who  was  certainly 
worth  looking  at  in  the  palest  of  blue,  with  the  red- 
dish tints  of  her  hair,  the  gray  of  her  eyes,  and  the 
pink  of  her  cheeks  suggesting  a  beautiful  flower, 
more  lovely  than  the  crush  roses  that  covered  her 
big  picture  hat.  Around  her  neck,  she  wore  a  lei 
of  exquisite  pink  carnations,  long  and  full,  and 
fringed  out  in  imitation  of  a  fluffy  boa. 

She  raised  it  and  breathing  in  its  spicy  fra- 
grance, she  laid  her  cheek  caressingly  against  it  and 
was  prettier  than  ever. 

"  I  told  the  Commodore  I  was  going  to  hide 


298  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

and  be  left  behind,"  she  said.  "  I  don't  want  to  go 
away." 

The  Commodore  smiled  approvingly,  Billy 
Barker  delightedly,  and  Mrs.  Spotfield  tolerantly. 
She  would  have  all  the  innings  later. 

"  We  will  be  back,"  said  the  Commodore.  "  We 
are  going  to  make  Honolulu  our  headquarters  next 
winter ;  our  hearts  will  be  here  always." 

"  When  do  you  sail?  "  asked  Frank. 

The  Commodore  flung  back  his  look;  there  was 
no  lovelight  lost  in  their  glances,  but  I  didn't  care 
now. 

"  We  are  not  going  to  start  for  a  fortnight,  or 
so,"  replied  the  Commodore.  "  We  did  not  expect 
to  go  quite  so  soon,  but  Dr.  Stirling  Dwindle  has 
not  been  having  very  good  news  of  his  father's  health 
lately;  old  man  Dwinelle — of  the  New  York  Dwin- 
dles, you  know — has  heart  trouble.  If  the  news  is 
not  better  next  mail,  I  told  the  Doctor  we  would 
cut  our  stay  short  here,  and  sail  at  once.  He 
wanted  to  go  on  by  steamer  and  leave  us,  but  of 
course  we  would  not  listen  to  that.  You  know  we 
had  planned  to  go  soon,  any  way." 

We  had  all  thought  the  Chandlers  were  going 
to  remain  with  us  through  November,  but  we  were 
mistaken,  for  in  October  they  were  to  be  in  the 
Mediterranean  to  meet  a  party  of  friends. 

The  Commodore  and  his  wife  could  hardly  help 
being  pleased  with  the  regrets  showered  upon  them. 
Mrs.  Thornton  declared  she  could  not  get  along 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  299 

without  them,  that  she  had  grown  to  depend  upon 
them  now  to  help  make  things  go.  Cherub  Billkins 
and  Guy  Selby  said  the  Harbor  would  be  lonely 
and  deserted  without  the  little  Gelda;  every  one 
had  something  nice  to  say,  even  Frank,  and  if  his 
remarks  were  addressed  to  Mrs.  Chandler  alone,  no 
one  noticed  that  the  Commodore  was  not  included; 
for  that  matter,  Billy  Barker  did  not  seem  to  include 
the  Commodore  either. 

After  breakfast,  we  sat  around  the  lanai  where 
coffee  was  served,  and  tried  to  keep  up  some  sort 
of  conversation,  at  least ;  but  our  own  home  pro- 
duct and  its  superiority  over  any  other,  appeared 
to  set  the  boundary  and  we  stayed  right  with  it. 

Not  all  of  us,  however;  Adrienne  and  Cherub 
had  disappeared  around  a  corner  with  a  new  reck- 
lessness, and  a  disregard  of  Mrs.  Spotfield,  lately 
developed  in  Adrienne.  Billy  Barker  was  lost  in 
thought  and  failed  to  live  up  to  his  reputation  of 
Right-Hand  Man  to  Happy  Hostesses.  And  Mrs. 
Kapua  and  the  Commodore  were  plunged  into  a 
world-forgetting  flirtation. 

The  rest  of  us  were  left  to  struggle  on.  A  spell 
was  over  us,  and  it  was  not  a  restful  one  either.  The 
day  will  come  when  the  merry  surprise  party  will  be 
relegated  to  the  dark  ages,  with  the  burning  of 
witches,  and  pleasantries  of  like  nature.  No  more 
will  civilization  tolerate  the  idea  of  a  band  of  ego- 
tists breaking  in  on  the  sanctity  of  a  home  to  drag 
out  some  unfortunate  female  with  her  hair  uncurled, 


300  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

or  some  inwardly  cursing  male,  who  might  have  felt 
convivial,  if  warned.  Of  all  barbarous  perpetra- 
tions, the  springing  of  a  surprise  on  an  unsuspecting 
victim  is  the  worst;  we  were  suffering  from  the 
reaction  of  two. 

As  I  looked  at  Mrs.  Thornton,  I  felt  almost 
hypnotized  by  the  baleful  glitter  of  the  restored 
gewgaw,  so  gayly  twinkling  in  her  hair.  I  had 
never  appreciated  the  word  gewgaw, — I  had  never 
felt  its  need  before.  As  for  Frank,  he  was  strangely 
quiet,  as  though  drugged  into  an  oblivion  of  his 
surroundings.  Neither  of  us  could  have  been  sus- 
pected of  having  lately  been  transported  into  realms 
of  bliss.  I  could  only  hope  our  inertia  would  be 
ascribed  to  the  composure  peculiar  to  perfect 
happiness. 

I  roused  myself  with  an  effort.  "  Don't  you 
sing,  Mrs.  Chandler?  "  I  asked.  "  I'm  sure  you  do ; 
won't  you  sing  for  us  ?  " 

I  had  suggested  this  in  desperation,  but  to  my 
surprise  Mrs.  Chandler  acknowledged  that  she  did 
sing. 

"  Only  a  little  though,"  she  added.  "  Only  just 
enough  to  amuse  the  Commodore  and  myself  while 
we  are  at  sea.  I  couldn't  think  of  inflicting  my  songs 
on  a  real  audience,  you  know." 

"  Oh,  we  are  not  real ;  please  let  us  have  a 
chance  to  hear  you,"  I  begged,  with  some  feeling. 

The  others  joined  in  my  entreaty  and,  after  a 
moment,  Mrs.  Chandler  consented.  But  I  noticed 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  301 

that  Mrs.  Kapua  and  the  Commodore  had  sauntered 
out  under  the  algeroba  trees  at  the  other  end  of 
the  garden,  before  she  said  yes,  and  it  occurred  to 
me  that  she  thought  the  Commodore  might  disap- 
prove, as  he  had  of  her  dancing. 

After  we  finished  our  coffee,  Mrs.  Chandler  went 
to  the  piano.  She  sang  a  couple  of  ballads,  very 
short,  very  light,  with  easily  caught  refrains,  the 
regular  once-heard-always-whistled  kind  of  music 
known  as  "  popular."  Her  next  song  was  one  in 
which  a  patriotic  story  was  unfolded,  in  verses  of  a 
simplicity  that  required  no  mental  effort.  She 
enunciated  clearly;  every  word  was  distinct,  and 
although  her  voice  was  not  strong,  it  was  fresh  and 
sweet,  and  her  power  of  dramatic  expression  was 
remarkable.  The  chorus  was  stirring,  and  she  gave 
it  with  vim. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  effective  in  short  skirts,  black 
stockings,  and  waving  an  American  flag?  "  whis- 
pered Frank. 

I  smiled — faintly.  It  did  suggest  something  of 
the  sort.  But,  before  I  could  answer,  Frank  had 
turned  away  to  listen  to  Ah  Lung,  who  had  come 
in  with  a  message  which  he  was  imparting  in  his 
peculiar  Chinese-Hawaiian-English  lingo.  Sum- 
ming it  up,  it  amounted  to  a  request  to  Frank  to 
meet  some  one  at  the  side  door. 

After  he  had  gone  out,  Mrs.  Chandler  sang  a 
coon  song  and  then,  in  response  to  our  delighted 
appreciation,  another.  Billy  Barker  hung  enrap- 


302  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

tured  over  the  piano,  and  Mrs.  Spotfield  hung  too, 
but  judging  by  her  expression,  her  faculty  for  criti- 
cism was  unimpaired.  Guy  Selby  knew  each  song, 
and  whistled  a  low  accompaniment  that  seemed  to 
act  as  a  spur  to  Mrs.  Chandler. 

"  Now  I'll  give  you  another  kind,"  she  said. 

This  one  was  a  pathetic  ballad  picturing  an 
ungrateful  daughter  lured  by  the  glamour  of  stage 
life,  and  champagne  suppers,  from  her  country 
home  and  her  poor,  old  father's  side,  finally  to 
return,  disillusioned,  to  the  farm — and  presumably 
hard  cider. 

Mrs.  Chandler's  repertoire  was  certainly  varied ; 
she  had  been  too  modest  about  her  talent.  While 
Mrs.  Thornton  was  reproaching  her  for  having  kept 
this  accomplishment  a  secret  so  long,  I  was  wonder- 
ing where  Frank  could  be  and  what  the  messenger 
had  wanted. 

"  I  never  sang  for  a  more  appreciative  audi- 
ence !  "  Mrs.  Chandler  rose  from  the  piano  stool, 
as  the  Commodore  reappeared  with  Mrs.  Kapua. 
"  But,  we  must  be  going,  indeed  we  must ;  it  takes 
longer  than  you'd  think  to  reach  the  Gelda.  Next 
time  you  come  on  board,  I'll  sing  for  you  again." 

"  Just  one  more  coon  song  before  you  go ! " 
begged  Billy  Barker. 

"And  that  first  little  ballad,  just  once  more!" 
added  Guy  Selby. 

With  a  laugh  that  was  half  indulgent,  and  half 
pleasurable  excitement,  Mrs.  Chandler  began  to  sing 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  303 

softly,  almost  as  though  she  were  talking  to  the 
music;  the  amount  of  expression  she  threw  into  the 
words  making  up  for  the  lack  of  voice  accompani- 
ment. 

Frank  returned,  as  she  finished  the  first  verse. 

"  Come  outside  with  me,"  he  said  in  a  low  tone, 
"  I  have  something  to  tell  you." 

I  shook  my  head.  "  We  can't  leave  in  the  mid- 
dle of  her  song,"  I  whispered. 

But  Frank  muttered  something  I  couldn't  quite 
catch;  I  looked  at  him  in  surprise.  His  face  was 
stern,  his  mouth  drawn  into  a  straight  line  that 
read :  "  Do  or  die !  "  or  something  equally  resolved. 

I  had  not  noticed  before  that  in  his  hand  he  held 
a  letter.  It  had  been  torn  open.  I  could  see  that 
the  stamp  was  foreign.  But  how  did  a  letter  to 
Frank  get  to  Mrs.  Thornton's  house? 

All  at  once,  I  felt  a  little  frightened.  I  rose, 
and  with  a  motion  to  Frank  to  follow  me,  I  slipped 
into  the  farthest  corner,  near  one  of  the  big  palms. 

"  What  is  it?  "  I  cried.  "  What  is  the  matter? 
What  did  the  messenger  want?  " 

"It  was  my  mail  from  Japan.  I  left  orders 
to  have  it  sent  to  me ;  my  boy  took  it  to  my  house, 
and  as  I  was  not  there,  he  tried  yours,  knowing  it 
was  important.  Tumi  sent  him  here." 

"  No  bad  news,  I  hope?  "  I  asked,  though  won- 
dering what  bad  news  could  come  from  Japan. 

Frank  did  not  answer.  Mrs.  Chandler's  song 
had  come  to  an  end ;  she  and  the  Commodore  had  left 


304  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

the  group  around  the  piano,  and  were  walking 
towards  us  together. 

"  Will  you  come  to  us  on  the  Gelda,  Thursday, 
for  a  little  dance  ?  "  asked  the  Commodore  cordially, 
when  they  reached  us.  "  We  want  to  have  a  few 
friends  on  board,  to  celebrate  your  engagement." 

"  How  kind  of  you !  "  I  cried. 

"  I  am  sorry,"  said  Frank  slowly  and  very  dis- 
tinctly, "  but  I  decline,  we  decline,  to  accept  your 
hospitality." 

There  was  a  dead  pause.  Guy  Selby  was  play- 
ing rag-time;  the  others  were  humming  a  gay 
accompaniment  in  various  keys.  The  Commodore 
gave  a  quick  glance  over  his  shoulder,  towards  the 
piano  and  around  the  room,  but  no  one  was  near 
and  his  bold  eyes  returned  to  us  and  flashed  from 
the  letter  in  Frank's  hand  to  his  face,  and  rested 
there  with  a  challenge  that  Frank  met  squarely. 

Mrs.  Chandler  was  white  to  her  lips,  except 
where  her  cheeks  stayed  brightly  pink. 

"  You  will  explain !  "  muttered  the  Commodore 
furiously. 

"  I  will,"  answered  Frank  firmly. 

"  Later,"  the  Commodore  added. 

And  giving  his  arm  to  his  wife,  they  turned 
without  another  word,  and  left  us. 

"Frank!  "I  gasped. 

"  Hush,"  he  whispered,  "  no  one  has  heard, — no 
one  knows ;  wait  for  me  here." 

He  started  to  go  outside,  and  I  saw  him  make 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  305 

a  signal  to  Mr.  Thornton,  who  abruptly  left  the 
group  about  the  piano  and  j  oined  him. 

I  hesitated  a  moment  and  then  followed  Mrs. 
Chandler  into  Mrs.  Thornton's  room,  where  I  knew 
she  must  have  gone  to  get  her  gloves  and  veil.  I 
didn't  know  what  I  intended  to  do,  but  somehow  I 
couldn't  let  her  go  like  that.  She  had  been  one  of  us. 

She  was  standing  in  front  of  the  mirror  and,  as 
I  went  in,  I  could  see  her  reflection  and  I  knew  that 
although  she  gazed  into  the  glass,  she  did  not  see 
herself,  but  was  looking  through  it,  and  beyond. 

She  turned,  with  a  start,  as  I  appeared  behind 
her.  I  don't  know  what  she  saw  in  my  eyes,  as  she 
looked  into  them,  but  her  face  softened. 

"  Look  here,  chere  amie"  she  said,  "  the  game 
is  up  and  I  know  it.  But,  what  to  you  would  be  a 
tragedy,  to  me  is  only  an  episode.  If  the  ship  sinks, 
I'll  float;  if  the  Commodore  goes  down  with  her, — 

well "  she  shrugged  her  shoulders,  "  well,  as  far 

as  I  am  concerned,  there  are  just  as  good  fish  in  the 
sea.  Don't  waste  any  feeling  on  me;  I'm  not  in 
your  class,  that's  all." 

She  took  off  the  lei  of  carnations  she  wore,  and 
threw  it  over  my  head. 

"  Good-by,"  she  said,  from  the  doorway,  pretty, 
pink,  and  smiling,  as  she  blew  me  a  kiss. 


20 


XXI. 

WHEN  I  returned  to  the  lanai,  Mrs.  Thornton 
asked  me  into  what  kind  of  mischief  Frank  had  led 
her  husband;  had  I  seen  them  go  out  the  gate,  and 
where  had  they  gone? 

I  could  truthfully  answer  I  did  not  know. 

And  there  we  sat.  Mrs.  Kapua  had  gone  home ; 
the  party  was  almost  broken  up ;  the  few  that  were 
left  were  presumably  enjoying  the  repose  of  the 
lanai.  I,  feeling  as  if  I  were  on  the  edge  of  a 
volcano,  and  not  an  extinct  one  either,  would  rather 
have  been  anywhere  else.  I  had  no  chance  to  speak 
to  Mrs.  Thornton  alone  and  I  could  think  of  no 
excuse  to  get  her  outside. 

Adrienne  and  Cherub  appeared  to  say  good-by. 
They  pleaded  an  engagement  and  Guy  chuckled 
audibly.  How  much  he  knew,  I  could  not  tell,  but 
there  was  no  doubt  he  would  have  it  in  for  Cherub 
for  many  days  to  come. 

As  they  went  off,  Mrs.  Spotfield  said:  "  Oh,  that 
Cherub  Billkins!  I  have  no  patience  with  such  a 
flirt ;  I  do  hope  Miss  Singlee  understands." 

"  She  does  understand,"  I  said  promptly. 

And  the  subject  was  dropped. 

At  last  Guy  Selby  rose  to  take  his  leave  and  lin- 
gered still  beside  me,  with  a  "  Parting  is  such  sweet 
sorrow  "  look  in  his  eyes  that  he  could  not  quite  give 
up,  even  if  I  was  a  disappointment  to  him. 

By  the  time  he  was  really  off,  Mrs.  Spotfield  and 
306 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  307 

Billy  Barker  made  a  start.  And  I  recalled  the  les- 
sons I  had  received  in  my  early  youth  to  the  effect 
that  when  you  start  to  go,  do  it. 

But  I  had  plenty  of  time  to  recite  all  the  lessons 
on  etiquette  I'd  ever  absorbed  while  they  thought  of 
just  one  more  thing  to  say,  and  as  they  were  finally 
leaving,  a  hack  dashed  up,  and  Mr.  Thornton  and 
Frank  jumped  out. 

They  stood  at  the  bottom  of  the  steps,  a  con- 
genial little  group  of  friends  with,  no  doubt,  much 
to  discuss,  and  plenty  of  time  for  it.  Of  course  Mr. 
Thornton,  as  host,  could  not  be  in  a  hurry 

But  Frank 

He  threw  a  glance  in  my  direction.  I  continued 
to  live,  though  perhaps  not  to  thrive,  on  the  glance. 

As  the  carriage  drove  off,  with  Mrs.  Spotfield 
and  Billy  Barker,  Mr.  Thornton  and  Frank  ran 
quickly  up  the  steps.  Mrs.  Thornton  was  arrang- 
ing the  cushions  in  the  hammock;  her  husband  put 
his  hand  on  her  arm  and  turned  her  to  him. 

"  Who  would  ever  have  dreamt "  he  began, 

gazing  at  the  ornament  in  her  hair.  He  dived  into 
his  pocket  and  when  he  took  out  his  hand  and  opened 
it,  there  lay  the  fac-simile  of  the  sunburst  she  was 
wearing,  and  each  shone,  and  sparkled,  as  if  in 
defiance  of  the  other  to  outshine  in  magnificence. 

Mrs.  Thornton  raised  her  hand  to  her  head;  I 
never  saw  any  one  appear  more  dazed.  Probably 
I  looked  the  same;  I  felt  so. 

"Frank,"    I    said,    "  Fra-a-ank."      My    voice 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

trembled ;  no  appeal  from  the  heart  ever  sounded 
more  pitiful. 

"  Well,  here  are  the  documents  in  the  case," 
said  Frank;  he  took  some  letters  from  his  pocket. 
"  This  is  my  correspondence  with  John  Boynton." 

Mrs.  Thornton  and  I  broke  forth  with  a  dozen 
questions  all  at  once,  but  Mr.  Thornton  told  Frank 
to  begin  at  the  beginning  and  let  us  have  the  whole 
story. 

"  I  must  tell  you  that  almost  from  the  first  I 
distrusted  the  Commodore,  the  yacht,  the  Doctor — 
the  entire  outfit,  in  short,"  said  Frank.  "  And  yet 
it  seemed  madness  to  suspect  a  man  of  the  Commo- 
dore's apparent  wealth  and  position.  But  I  felt 
justified  in  my  prejudice  against  him  when  he 
gambled  to  such  an  extent  that  it  seemed  like  a  busi- 
ness with  him.  The  games  on  the  yacht  were  only 
a  side  issue  of  course ;  the  rumors  of  poker  on  shore 
were  what  looked  shady  to  me.  When  Billy  Barker 
continued  to  lose  staggering  sums  of  money,  when 
Guy  Selby  and  Jo  Elkins  were  continually  suggest- 
ing a  game — just  to  make  up  their  losses — I  decided 
to  investigate.  I  wrote  for  information  to  my  old 
friend  John  Boynton  in  Japan,  knowing  that  the 
Gelda  had  lately  been  in  Yokohama. 

"  It  was  about  this  time  that  Mrs.  Thornton's 
diamonds  disappeared.  I  began  to  watch  the  Com- 
modore in  earnest.  This  was  easy  enough  to  do 
through  Mrs.  Kapua;  he  was  usually  hanging 
around  her.  I've  always  liked  Mrs.  Kapua,  but  we 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  309 

had  never  been  more  than  the  most  casual  acquaint- 
ances. When  I  started  to  cut  the  Commodore  out, 
or  rather  to  share  his  popularity  with  her,  it  was  an 
easy  matter  because  Mrs.  Kapua  is  used  to  devotion ; 
she  accepted  mine  without  question.  At  once,  we 
became  the  best  of  friends.  I  wanted  to  .go  on  the 
Gelda  to  see  a  game ;  she  took  me.  I  sized  up  the 
Doctor  easily  enough  as  a  card  sharp,  but  the 
precious  pair  lost  that  night.  I  might  have  been 
sure  they  wouldn't  win  before  me.  They  were  clever 
enough  to  run  the  game  way  up  and  lose  a  thou- 
sand between  them.  But  I  happened  to  know  it  was 
a  mere  drop  in  the  bucket. 

"  Unconsciously  Mrs.  Kapua,  from  time  to  time, 
would  give  me  a  tip  as  to  what  the  Commodore  was 
doing,  when  a  game  was  on,  etc.  Through  her  I 
learned,  too,  that  the  Commodore  had  borrowed  one 
of  her  cottages,  that  happened  to  be  vacant,  for  the 
convalescence  of  his  Captain  who  had  been  ill,  and 
who  needed  quiet  and  rest.  The  explanation  satis- 
fied Mrs.  Kapua  of  course. 

"  I  located  the  cottage  and  interviewed  the 
neighbors,  and  putting  two  and  two  together,  1 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  used  as  a  regular 
gambling  resort,  conducted  by  the  Captain  and 
Doctor,  with  the  Commodore  as  a  regular  visitor. 
I  got  Mrs.  Kapua  to  take  me  up  there,  under  pre- 
tense of  examining  the  title,  and  I  studied  the  lay 
of  the  land.  She  suspected  nothing ;  I  left  her  out- 
side, while  I  went  through  the  house  and  found 


810  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

enough  cards,  and  poker  chips,  and  gambling  para- 
phernalia to  run  Monte  Carlo. 

"  Still,  I  could  hardly  have  put  my  vague  sus- 
picions into  an  accusation;  but  Boynton's  letter 
here,  confirms  the  worst  of  them." 

"The  worst  of  them!"  cried  Mrs.  Thornton 
excitedly.  "  What  is  the  worst  ?  Who  took  my 
diamonds  ?  I  will  never  believe  the  Commodore  did. 
He  may  gamble — but  steal, — the  Commodore! 
Never — I'll  never  believe  it.  Perhaps  the  Doctor; 
I  never  liked  him,  but  how — how  could  he " 

"  Listen  to  the  letter,  dear,"  said  Mr.  Thornton, 
putting  his  hand  gently  over  hers. 

Frank  took  the  sheet  from  the  envelope  and 
opened  it.  "  The  photograph  to  which  Boynton 
refers,"  he  began,  "  is  a  snapshot  I  took  of  the 
Commodore  and  his  wife,  without  their  knowing  it, 
when  I  found  it  impossible  to  get  their  pictures 
otherwise. 

"  '  Dear  Frank :  The  photograph  you  sent  me  is 
unmistakably  that  of  Harry  St.  Clair,  although  in 
the  picture  his  hair  seems  dark  and  he  wears  a 
moustache.  When  we  knew  him  here,  his  hair  was 
light  and  he  was  smooth  shaven.  Harry  St.  Clair 
is  the  king  of  modern  swindlers  and  he  found  our 
little  community  dead  easy.  Soon  after  his  arrival 
he  was  put  up  at  the  Club  by  two  Englishmen,  well- 
known  fellows  among  us.  Because  of  his  genial  man- 
ners and  lavish  ways,  he  soon  became  a  welcome 
visitor.  He  gave  entertainments  on  board  his  yacht 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS        .    311 

on  a  generous  scale ;  still  a  poker  atmosphere  per- 
vaded everything  in  his  vicinity.  His  departure  was 
sudden  and  well  timed;  that's  one  thing  about  St. 
Clair,  we  have  since  heard, — he  knows  when  it's 
time  to  go. 

"  '  Harry  St.  Clair  has  wrung  thousands  from 
people  under  the  very  noses  of  the  police,  though  he 
has  a  record  that  covers  England,  South  America, 
China,  Samoa,  Australia,  and  a  few  other  countries 
— perhaps  by  this  time  Hawaii. 

"  *  With  his  good  address,  social  adaptability, 
plenty  of  assurance,  and  "  ways  that  are  dark," 
he  has  not  found  any  difficulty  in  living  like  a  mil- 
lionaire in  each  port.  The  Gelda  has  been  sailed 
on  tempting  mining  enterprises  and  other  choice 
investments,  in  addition  to  bogus  land  schemes, 
drafts  cashed  for  the  Commodore's  benefit,  but  never 
honored,  and  poker.  He  had  incorporated  a  com- 
pany to  take  over  a  whole  Island,  rich  in  guano, 
having  secured  the  option  to  purchase  it  from  a 
native  ruler.  The  seeming  scarcity  of  the  stocks 
he  let  his  friends  in  on  and  the  obligation  it  put 
them  under  to  secure  some  through  his  generosity, 
made  him  still  more  popular. 

" '  Wherever  he  has  stopped,  St.  Clair,  who 
poses  as  the  Commodore  of  the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club, 
has  borrowed  money;  in  some  places  he  has  bor- 
rowed jewelry,  without  saying:  "By  your  leave." 
Generally  he  returned  it  promptly — and  always  with 
paste,  which  brings  me  to  the  Doctor — Dr.  Stirling 


312  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Dwindle,  "  of  the  New  York  Dwindles,  you  know." 
Unless  he  has  acquired  a  new  alias,  I  can  hear  the 
precious  Commodore  getting  that  off.  Little  is 
known  of  the  Doctor,  except  that  he  is  suspected  of 
being  an  ex- jewel-designer,  who  is  useful  to  the 
Commodore  when  he  wants  to  replace  the  real  orna- 
ments, he  has  taken,  with  paste.  The  Commodore 
is  known  to  have  a  collection  from  the  Palais  Royale 
of  considerable  value,  comprising  stars,  crescents, 
sunbursts,  birds,  insects, — all  the  latest  designs 
known  to  the  jeweller's  art.  But  his  imitations 
could  scarcely  be  exact  enough  to  deceive  without  the 
Doctor's  knowledge  of  stone  setting.  In  his  leisure 
hours  he  comes  in  handy  for  the  card  games;  he's 
a  professional  all  right,  as  we  know  now,  to  our  cost, 
and  an  expert  accomplice  for  the  Commodore ;  two 
such  crooked  card  players  have  never  struck  Yoko- 
hama before. 

" '  St.  Claire's  wife  was  a  vaudeville  artist  of 
some  renown  as  a  dancer.  She  was  known  on  the 
stage  as:  Fidette.  Her  picture  is  still  a  favorite 
seller.  At  first  she  was  a  bit  stand-offish  and  did 
not  seem  to  care  to  meet  every  one;  evidently  she 
was  afraid  of  being  recognized.  But  although  she 
looked  familiar  to  some  of  the  fellows  who  met  her, 
no  one  placed  her  until  after  the  Gelda  had  sailed 
and  the  facts  began  to  drift  out.  There's  no  harm 
in  Mrs.  Chandler ;  she  is  in  with  a  rascal,  that's  all, 
and  is  useful  to  him  as  a  decoy.  He  finds  out  the 
richest  detached  man,  and  Mrs.  Chandler  does  the 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  313 

rest.  The  poker  games  come  later.  She  has  a  per- 
fume named  after  her  and  if  you  ever  come  across 
a  cigar  called  "  The  Fidette,"  smoke  it  and  forget 
your  troubles. 

"  '  Mrs.  Chandler  really  has  talent,  they  say, 
but  perhaps  her  chief  claim  to  notoriety  was 
through  her  association  with  "  The  Only  Otto," 
as  he  was  billed.  They  were  doing  a  sketch  to- 
gether in  New  York,  when  he  was  dashed  to  death 
while  making  a  sensational  flight  in  an  aero- 
plane.' " 

"  That— that  was  «  Prince  Otto,'  "  I  stammered. 

"  He  got  mixed  in  the  shuffle,"  said  Frank. 
"  She  may  have  thought  him  a  Prince  of  good  fel- 
lows, but  he  really  got  among  the  others  by 
accident." 

"  And  the  sunburst  Mrs.  Kapua  found — this 
one?"  Mrs.  Thornton  took  it  out  of  her  hair; 
her  tone  was  dazed. 

"Paste,"  said  Mr.  Thornton.  "Paste,  of 
course ;  a  clever  enough  imitation  to  deceive  any  one 
but  an  expert." 

"  Think  of  it,"  murmured  Mrs.  Thornton,  evi- 
dently trying  very  hard  to  think. 

"  You  see,"  said  Frank,  "  during  one  of  the 
Commodore's  visits  to  Mrs.  Kapua,  it  was  easy 
enough  to  fasten  the  bogus  pin  to  the  portiere, 
equally  easy  to  suggest  to  Yone  to  look  there  with- 
out her  even  knowing  that  her  simple  mind  was 
being  led.  In  the  first  place,  when  the  lights  went 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

out  at  the  luau,  the  Commodore  was  standing  by  the 
switch.  One  button  served  for  lanai  and  living 
room ;  the  Commodore  lives  on  chance — he  took  the 
chance.  From  my  position,  I  could  see  the  reflec- 
tion of  a  light  burning  in  the  mosquito  room,  in 
the  back  of  the  house;  afterwards  I  discovered 
there  was  no  lamp  in  the  room  and  I  knew  that  the 
Commodore  must  have  been  responsible  for  the 
extinguished  lights ;  there  was  nothing  the  matter 
with  the  electricity.  Even  then,  I  could  hardly 
bring  myself  to  suspect  him  of  actual  theft  and 
thought  he  must  have  pressed  the  button  either 
by  mistake,  or  through  a  spirit  of  mischief. 

"  When  day  after  day  passed  and  the  pin  was 
not  recovered,  I  became  more  and  more  convinced 
that  he  was  a  common  thief.  I  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve my  senses  at  last  when  Mrs.  Kapua  appeared 
with  the  diamonds.  Then  came  Boynton's  letter, 
in  the  very  nick  of  time.  You  see,  the  Commodore 
was  paving  the  way  for  his  departure.  He  knew 
perfectly  well  that  I  suspected  him.  There  must 
have  been  some  hitch  to  account  for  his  not  having 
the  paste  imitation  ready  sooner.  Or  else  he  had 
grown  so  reckless  that  he  was  careless,  which  is 
more  likely.  Of  course  he  showed,  when  he  tried 
to  throw  suspicion  upon  me,  that  he  was  a  little  too 
sure  of  his  position  here.  He  thought  I'd  be  an 
effectual  scapegoat  until  he  got  a  chance  to  replace 
the  pin.  All  criminals  go  too  far ;  in  one  way  or 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  315 

another  they  overstep  the  bounds  of  prudence ;  they 
always  leave  a  clue." 

Mrs.  Thornton's  cheeks  were  flushing  and 
paling;  her  eyes  were  bright  with  excitement. 

"But,  what  did  you  do,  George?"  she  asked. 
"  Where  have  you  been  ?  How  did  you  get  my  own 
pin?  What  did  the  Commodore  say?  " 

"  We  followed  him  down  to  the  yacht,  stopping 
on  the  way  for  the  Marshal,  who  accompanied  us 
on  board  with  a  couple  of  his  men.  We  faced  the 
Commodore  with  the  mail  from  Japan  and  supple- 
mented a  demand  for  the  original  stones  with  a 
few  persuasive  arguments.  But  nothing  seemed  to 
make  the  slightest  impression  on  him;  not  for  a 
moment  did  he  drop  his  defiant  attitude.  After  in 
vain  threatening  him  with  exposure,  arrest,  dis- 
grace, we  at  last  hit  upon  an  idea  that  appealed  to 
him.  We  offered  to  keep  the  whole  affair  quiet  until 
he  got  away,  if  he  would  return  the  genuine  stones, 
and  I  proposed  to  sign  a  paper  to  the  effect 
that  I  would  let  the  matter  drop  and  not  prosecute 
him  now,  nor  in  the  future.  This,  coupled  with  the 
alternative  of  immediate  arrest  and  a  search  of  the 
Gelda  from  bow  to  stern,  touched  the  right  spot, 
and  in  a  few  moments  more  everything  was  settled 
to  our  mutual  satisfaction.  The  Marshal  is  going 
out  to-morrow  though  on  a  visit  of  enquiry  about 
the  card  games.  But  there's  one  thing  I  don't 
understand,  Frank,  and  that  is  why  he  gave  us  that 
triumphant  look  when  we  were  leaving." 


S16  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

"  He  was  probably  thinking  of  the  stock  he's 
been  letting  his  particular  friends  come  in  on.  I'll 
wager  the  quotations  will  show  a  heavy  decline  be- 
fore long.  I  must  say  it  was  only  lack  of  funds 
that  saved  me." 

66  And  perhaps  some  common  sense,"  said  Mr. 
Thornton  grimly.  "  I  took  a  flyer  myself,  you 
know." 

Mrs.  Thornton  looked  at  her  sunburst,  and 
then  at  Frank.  "  How  can  we  ever  thank  you !  " 
she  cried.  In  her  pretty,  impetuous  way,  she  flung 
both  arms  around  him  and  kissed  him  twice. 

"How  can  we  ever  thank  you?"  Frank  said 
very  earnestly.  "  Mr.  Thornton  has  retained  me 
in  the  case  of  Aloha  against  Leiilima." 

"  That's  nice,"  said  "Mrs.  Thornton  calmly,  and 
quite  as  if  she  had  known  all  about  it ;  "  and  the 
Stowe  estate,  Frank — if  you  settle  that  up  too 
quickly,  you're  not  the  good  lawyer  that  we  think 
you." 

Frank  smiled  broadly.  "  I  was  keeping  that 
for  a  surprise,"  he  said,  looking  at  me. 

And  I  found  that  I  still  had  reflections  on  sur- 
prise parties  in  reserve.  Mr.  Thornton  was  ad- 
ministrator of  the  Stowe  estate.  Mrs.  Thornton 
had  said  she  was  sure  it  was  only  money  that  kept 
Frank  and  me  apart;  it  was  through  her  the  bar- 
rier had  been  removed.  I  began  to  see  it  all  now — 
all  that  she  had  done. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  317 

"  Dear  Fairy  Godmother,"  I  whispered,  as  I 
kissed  her  good-by. 

"  But  this  doesn't  count  for  an  engagement 
breakfast,  does  it,  George?  "  she  said  as  she  and 
Mr.  Thornton  followed  us  to  the  steps. 

"  Of  course  not,"  Mr.  Thornton  promptly  re- 
sponded. "  It  has  developed  into  a  farewell  party 
to  a  beach  comber." 

"We'll  have  a  dinner,"  said  Mrs.  Thornton. 
"  Now  when " 

"  Suppose  we  say  after  our  wedding  tour,"  said 
Frank.  "  I  shall  have  to  be  back  for  Aloha  against 
Leiilima,  so  we  ought  to  get  started  soon,  you  see." 

"Oh,  all  right;  we'll  wait  then,"  said  Mrs. 
Thornton,  with  genuine  warmth  of  acquiescence — 
which,  in  the  circumstances  was  not  equivocal. 

When  we  got  home,  Frank  asked  me  if  I  would 
like  to  go  to  Europe  for  our  wedding  tour. 

I  had  decided  not  to  take  the  trip  alone,  so  we 
were  able  to  come  to  an  agreement  on  this. 

"  Aloha  against  Leulima"  murmured  Frank. 
"  Our  fortune  is  made.  The  biggest  case  in  Hawaii 
is  mine."  He  looked  very  happy. 

I  slipped  my  hand  into  his  and  we  did  not  speak 
for  a  long  time.  At  last  Frank  sighed;  a  deep 
sigh,  the  kind  that  is  usually  described  as  coming 
from  the  boots. 

"  It  wasn't  an  honest  part  I  was  playing," 
he  said.  "  Mrs.  Kapua  was  unsuspicious  and  I 


318  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

wormed  myself  into  her  confidence,  took  advantage 
of  her  credulity,  entered  her  house  as  a  friend  to 
play  the  spy,  and  deliberately  kept  our  engagement 
secret  to  make  her  believe  that  all  my  devotion  was 
hers." 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  me,  Frank?  "  I  whispered. 
"  Why  didn't  you  explain?  " 

"  But  I  didn't  have  to  explain  to  you,"  said 
Frank,  with  an  infinite  trust.  "  Between  you  and 
me,  there  is  no  need  of  that;  there  never  will  be, 
you  know." 

"  All  right,  Frank,"  I  said  sunnily,  looking 
straight  at  the  lapel  of  his  coat. 

"Yes,  I  played  the  spy,"  continued  Frank 
gloomily.  "  It  isn't  work  to  look  back  on  and 
make  a  man  feel  proud  of  himself, — but  there  was 
much  at  stake,  too  much." 

"  It  was  her  favorite  pin,"  I  said  soothingly. 
"  It  wasn't  only  its  value." 

"  I  don't  mean  the  sunburst,"  said  Frank,  "  I 
mean  you." 

"What  about  me?"  I  asked  slowly. 

"  The  sunburst  you  know,"  said  Frank. 

I  glanced  up.     "  I  don't  think  I  quite  follow 

you." 

"Dearest,"  said  Frank  gently,  "I  could  not 
stand  a  breath  of  suspicion  against  you.  You  know 

that;  the  very  possibility  of  it "  He  almost 

shuddered. 

This  time  I  looked  at  Frank,  right  at  him. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  319 

"  Suspicion,  once  started,  is  an  ugly  thing  to 
cope  with,"  he  added. 

It  was  a  familiar  thought  to  me. 

"  But  you  were  never  in  danger,  dear.  She 
isn't  that  sort." 

I  shut  my  eyes,  and  opened  them  again.  Every- 
thing was  topsy  turvy,  and  all  was  unreal.  The 
paste  jewels,  the  wealthy  Commodore,  the  ex- 
jeweller,  my  danger, — mine;  danger  for  me! 

"  What  made  you  think  I  was  in  danger  ?  "  I 
asked.  My  voice  sounded  as  dazed  as  I  felt. 

"  From  what  you  told  me  of  course,"  said 
Frank  simply. 

And  I  recalled  the  circumstantial  evidence  I 
had  interposed  to  persuade  Frank  of  my  threaten- 
ing doom ;  it  had  been  complete  enough  to  convince 
a  lawyer.  When  I  had  convinced  him,  when  it  had 
served  its  purpose, — I  felt  a  hot  blush  mount  to 
my  brow, — I  had  forgotten  it. 

"  I  made  up  my  mind,"  said  Frank,  "  that  no 
such  rumor,  as  you  foresaw,  should  ever  get  started. 
Of  course  I  was  disturbed,  and  I  saw  the  possibility 
of  danger  for  you  that  you  had  pointed  out,  but  I 
would  not  let  you  know  that  I  was  uneasy.  If  Mrs. 
Kapua  did  not  like  you,  if  with  her  reputed  kahuna 
power,  she  could  work  you  harm,  it  was  my  place 
to  divert  that  harm.  The  way  was  simple ;  to  keep 
our  engagement  secret  was  the  first  step.  When  I 
began  to  be  attentive  to  Mrs.  Kapua,  it  was  be- 
cause of  you.  I  did  not  believe  that  she  cared  a 


320  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

rap  for  my  attentions,  as  you  thought,  but  at  least 
I  was  at  hand  to  see  if  she  was  starting  any 
rumors  against  you.  I  soon  found  that  we  did  her 
an  injustice,  but  I  also  found  that  through  her  I 
could  watch  the  Commodore.  No  one  but  you 
understood  what  lay  beneath  my  pretended  devo- 
tion. You  knew  all;  the  clue  was  in  your  hands, 
for  you  had  given  it  to  me.  My  clever  little  sweet- 
heart ! " 

I  could  only  hope  that  Frank  was  satisfied  with 
his  view  of  the  top  of  my  head.  I  was  pleased  that 
my  hair  was  a  nice  shade  of  brown,  or  at  least  that 
he  approved  of  the  color.  I  certainly  did  not  feel 
clever  enough  to  raise  my  head  and  look  the  part. 
So  I  rested  it  more  comfortably  against  his  coat, 
and  thought,  and  thought,  and  thought. 

And  finally  I  told  Frank  he  must  go  to  Mrs. 
Kapua  that  evening  and  tell  her  everything.  She 
had  liked  the  Commodore,  she  would  miss  him.  She 
had  been  taken  in,  perhaps  more  than  any  of  the 
rest  of  us.  It  was  only  fair  she  should  hear  it  all, 
and  hear  it  from  Frank  who  would  unfold  to  her 
the  ugly  truth  as  gently  as  he  could. 

"  I  was  thinking  of  that,"  said  Frank. 

And  I  was  proud  of  him;  glad  to  have  him  re- 
member her  now,  right  in  the  midst,  at  the  height, 
of  our  own  happiness,  with  our  future  clear  and 
assured. 

There  was  another  silence  and  my  thoughts  wan- 
dered away  from  Mrs.  Kapua,  and  came  back  to  the 
yacht,  to  the  Commodore,  and  to  his  wife. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

66  Poor,  pretty  Fidette !  "  I  murmured. 

The  pink  carnation  lei  was  wilted  and  I  took  it 
off  and  laid  it  gently  down.  Somehow  I  felt  as  if 
a  gay,  showy  butterfly  had  floated  in  and  out 
amongst  us,  just  within  our  reach,  at  last,  where 
our  cruel  grasp  had  bruised  her  fragile  wings  be- 
fore we  let  her  go. 

I  told  Frank  how  she  had  left  me,  how  careless 
she  had  seemed,  how  free. 

"  She  was  game,"  said  Frank,  "  but  she  is  light 
as  a  feather;  this  is  only  a  yachting  trip  to  her; 
she  will  snap  her  fingers  at  the  Commodore,  at  the 
end  of  their  cruise,  wave  him  a  careless  good-by, 
and  forget  him.  She's  sure  to  return  to  the  stage, 
and  perhaps  some  day  we  will  hear  of  her  making 
a  great  hit  as  a  dancer,  with  the  hula  kui  for  her 
star  attraction." 

"  But  I  wish, — I  wish  they  had  got  off,"  I  said. 

"  Don't  let  your  little  heart  ache  for  her,"  said 
Frank,  putting  both  arms  tenderly  about  me; 
"  there  are  plenty  of  Fidettes  in  every  land,  and 
they  never  know  a  heart  ache.  There's  only  just 
one  YOU  in  all  the  world,  and  you  shall  never  have 
one,  if  I  can  help  it." 


XXII 

BKIGHT  and  early  Monday  morning,  the  Mar- 
shal, quite  prepared  to  investigate  the  sort  of  poker 
game  in  which  the  Commodore  had  been  indulging, 
stood  on  the  wharf,  rubbed  his  eyes  and  looked 
again. 

But  the  luxurious  little  Gelda  no  longer  rode  at 
anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Honolulu. 

I,  for  one,  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief,  when 
Frank  told  me. 

"  Mrs.  Kapua's  ruby  pendant  will  help  float 
the  yacht  until  the  Commodore  thinks  it  advisable 
to  move  on  once  more,"  he  said. 

"Oh!"  I  exclaimed.  "  Oh-h-h— did  he  take 
that  too?" 

"  No,"  said  Frank,  "  he  accepted  it.  She  gave 
it  to  him." 

"  She  gave  him  her  beautiful,  gorgeous,  becom- 
ing, ruby  pendant !  "  I  cried.  "  Are  you  sure  ? 
Perhaps  she  only  lent  it  to  him ;  it  has  dangled  tem- 
porarily from  a  few  watch  chains,  Frank ;  you  know 
that." 

"Not  this  time,"  said  Frank.  "She  is  true, 
when  it  comes  to  the  jJinch.  When  I  started  to  tell 
her  about  the  Commodore  and  his  record,  she  had 
already  guessed  a  lot.  The  Commodore  had  a 
chance,  you  see,  to  speak  to  her  yesterday,  before 
he  left  Mrs.  Thornton's.  And  he  got  in  some  big 
licks.  He  told  her  he  was  in  trouble  and  that  some 

322 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

day  he  would  explain;  things  looked  bad — he  was 
too  proud  to  try  and  straighten  them  out  now; 
there  was  a  reason  why  he  must  be  silent,  and  so 
forth,  etcetera.  Mrs.  Kapua  told  me,  with  tears 
in  her  eyes  that  he  had  said :  '  I  will  always  remem- 
ber the  Flower  of  Waikiki;  don't  forget  me,  and 
sometimes  think  kindly  if  you  can.  I'm  not  all 
good,  but  you  could  have  made  a  man  of  me — a 
woman  like  you '  And  then  he  had  choked. 

"  You  know  the  Commodore ;  and  he  knows  wo- 
men. Mrs.  Kapua  impetuously  tore  off  her  ruby 
pendant  and  6  forced  it  on  him.' 

"  Her  heart  was  touched,  of  course.  She  will 
never  believe  the  worst  of  the  Commodore.  If  she 
did,  it  would  be  just  the  same.  The  Hawaiian 
woman,  the  finer  type,  clings  to  the  man  who  has 
a  place  in  her  heart,  when  he  is  down  and  out. 
Light,  careless,  fickle,  easily  swerved,  she  may  be, 
but  once  let  the  man  she  is  favoring  get  into  trouble 
and  she  will  help  him,  every  time.  She  will  stick 
to  him  then — stick  to  him  through  thick  and  thin." 

"  But  to  whom,"  I  cried,  "  to  whom  did  she 
stick?" 

I  recalled  her  innuendoes  against  Frank  and  at 
last  the  change  of  heart  that  had  made  her  inter- 
pose to  help  him  out  of  an  unpleasant  situation. 
She  had  made  the  Porto  Rican  thief  serve  her  pur- 
pose so  well  that  no  one  had  stopped  to  reflect  he 
was  only  a  sneak  thief,  whose  petty  pilferings  had 
scarcely  aroused  the  police  to  concerted  action. 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Had  Mrs.  Kapua  really  thought  Frank  guilty? 
Or,  had  she  suspected  the  Commodore,  after  all? 
From  which  of  them  had  she  hoped  to  avert  sus- 
picion? Which  had  she  tried  to  protect,  to  save? 
When  the  diamonds  were  first  lost,  she  had  tried  to 
implicate  Frank.  Had  she  done  so  in  behalf  of  the 
Commodore,  or  was  it  merely,  as  I  had  thought  at 
the  time,  out  of  revenge  for  an  indifference  that  had 
infuriated  her?  And  when  Frank's  attentions  to 
her  had  changed  her  attitude  towards  him,  when 
she  had  perhaps  grown  to  care  for  him  as  she  had 
grown  to  know  him,  and  to  know  his  attraction,  had 
she  wavered  between  the  two  men  with  a  loyalty  that 
was  divided? 

"  Frank,"  I  persisted,  having  received  no  an- 
swer from  him,  "  to  whom  did  Mrs.  Kapua  stick?  " 

It  did  not  sound  elegant;  repetition  hadn't  im- 
proved it,  but  it  was  simple,  and  to  the  point. 

"  Why,  to  the  Commodore,  of  course,"  said 
Frank,  giving  me  a  little  pat,  as  though  to  say: 
"  Come  to."  "  To  the  Commodore,  of  course,  dear. 
Who  else?" 

"  But,"  I  began,  trying  hard  to  think  it  out, 
"she  wanted  to  save  you,  too;  she  must  have  thought 
of  the  Porto  Rican  to  divert  suspicion  from  you, 
and  from  you  alone.  The  Commodore  was  never, 
for  an  instant,  distrusted, — and  she  knew  that  you 
were." 

"  I !  "  Frank  paused ;  his  brows  met  in  a  deep 
frown.  "I?" 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  325 

"  Having  no  money,  of  course,  and  the  Commo- 
dore with  seemingly  fabulous  wealth, — you  can  see 
the  inference." 

Frank  looked  at  me  searchingly.  "  Do  you 
mean  to  tell  me  that  I  was  ever  suspected  of  stealing 
the  sunburst?  Was  I?  I  must  say,  that  never 
occurred  to  me." 

"  Well,"— I  began  to  feel  as  if  I  were  on  the 
witness  stand, — "  well,  you  see,  that  is,  of  course, 
you  can  see,  that  you  couldn't  escape  your  share  of 
gossip;  there  is  sure  to  be  some  one  to  imply  dis- 
agreeable things  about  every  one,  we  know  that. 
Anyway,  whether  for  you,  or  for  the  Commodore, 
or  for  both  of  you,  we  will  always  remember  that 
Mrs.  Kapua,  as  you  say,  was  true  when  it  came  to 
the  pinch." 

"  And  did  you  know  ?  "  asked  Frank  slowly. 
"  Did  you  know  about  me  ?  Did  you  know  that 
I " 

"  Oh  yes,"  I  said  carelessly,  "  nothing  tangible, 
though,  or  I  would  have  told  you — just  implica- 
tions, things  you  couldn't  put  your  finger  on — such 
silly  things " 

I  waited  for  Frank  to  snap  his  fingers  at  the 
world. 

At  last  he  said :  "  Ah-h-h ."  And  that  was 

all;  it  was  half  a  sigh  and  half  a  groan,  and  he 
looked  gloomy  in  the  extreme. 

"  Of  course  we  believe — she  believes — I  have  be- 
lieved— in  your  innocence,"  I  ventured. 


326  A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS 

Frank  rose  and  paced  the  lanai. 

"  What  is  the  difference  ?  "  I  murmured  con- 
solingly. "  It  is  over  now." 

Still  Frank  did  not  reply.  "  You  thought  me 
in  trouble,"  he  muttered  at  last.  "  You  accepted 
me  through  pity !  " 

I  gasped.  Love  is  indeed  blind.  Filled  with 
wonder  that  he  could  be  so  dense,  I  did  not  speak 
for  a  moment.  And  while  sunk  in  a  revery,  memory 
awoke ;  I  was  plunged  into  an  abyss  of  doubt. 

"  I  told  you  that  I  was  in  trouble,"  I  said, 
"  and  you  proposed  to  me — then !  "  My  voice  was 
full  of  tears. 

"  But,  after  all,  pity  is  akin  to  love,"  Frank 
began  more  cheerfully,  breaking  in  on  a  long  silence. 

"  Take  all  my  pity  then,"  I  said  generously. 

"  I  need  it — I've  given  you  all  my  love !  " 

"  I'll  take  back  my  pity  and  make  it  a  fair  ex- 
change !  "  I  declared. 

And  Frank  said, that  if  I  was  not  lavish,  at  least 
I  was  a  lightning  calculator. 

This  was  too  much  for  me  to  figure  out,  however, 
and  I  did  not  try. 

"  Frank,"  I  said,  attempting  a  lightness  of  tone 
that  proved  most  solemn.  "  Frank,  perhaps  you 
were,  just  a  wee  bit,  you  know,  jealous  of  Guy 
Selby.  Were  you?" 

"  I  was,"  said  Frank ;  he  looked  rather  ashamed. 
"  But  how  could  I  help  it  ?  It  was  not  that  my 
trust  in  you  was  not  complete.  But  I  could  not 


A  JEWEL  OF  THE  SEAS  327 

help  seeing  his  devilish  ease,  his  good  looks,  and 
that  assurance,  you  know — an  everyday,  prosaic, 
business  man  cannot  compete  with  the  breezy  .gal- 
lantry of  the  sailor.  You  might  have  drawn  the 
contrast." 

"  I  did,"  I  said,  and  I  smiled  at  Frank.  "  Wait 
a  moment,"  I  added,  as  he  came  towards  me;  and 
I  put  out  a  restraining  hand.  "  I  might  as  well 
confess  to  you  that  I  was  perhaps  a  trifle  jealous 
too." 

"  Oh,  nonsense;  jealous — you !  " 

"  I  couldn't  help  seeing  her  fascination.  Her 
hands,  her  voice,  her  grace,  her  beauty, — the  Flower 
of  Waikiki." 

"  Dear  little  girl,"  said  Frank,  "  you  are  the 
Flower  of  Waikiki,  the  Flower  of  the  World,  to  me. 
I  had  to  shut  my  eyes  to  see  Mrs.  Kapua,  and  I 
had  to  open  them  to  try  and  remember  she  was 
there.  How  could  you — YOU — ever  be  jealous  of 
any  woman?  I  love  you." 

"  But  Frank,  I  love  you  too ;  how  could  you 
ever  be  jealous  of  any  man?  " 

"Ah,"  said  Frank,  "but  that,  dear  Heart, 
is  such  a  very,  very  different  thing." 


A  NOVEL  OF  THE  REAL  WEST 


"ME— SMITH" 

By  CAROLINE  LOCKHART 
With  five  illustrations  by  Gayle  Hoskins 

I2mo.     Cloth,  $1.20  net. 


TVpSS  LOCKHART  is  a  true  daughter  of  the  West, 
^  her  father  being  a  large  ranch-owner  and  she  has 
had  much  experience  in  the  saddle  and  among  the  people 
who  figure  in  her  novel,  ffl  "  Smith  "  is  one  type  of  Western 
"  Bad  Man,"  an  unusually  powerful  and  appealing  char- 
acter who  grips  and  holds  the  reader  through  all  his 
deeds,  whether  good  or  bad.  fl  It  is  a  story  with  red 
blood  in  it.  There  is  the  cry  of  the  coyote,  the  deadly 
thirst  for  revenge  as  it  exists  in  the  wronged  Indian  to- 
ward the  white  man,  the  thrill  of  the  gaming  table,  and 
the  gentlenesss  of  pure,  true  love.  To  the  very  end  the 
tense  dramatism  of  the  tale  is  maintained  without  relax- 
ation. 

"  Gripping,  vigorous  story." — Chicago  Rf cord-Herald. 
"  This  is  a  real  novel,  a  big  novel." — Indianapolis  News. 

"  Not  since  the  publication  of  *  The  Virginian '  has  so  powerful  a 
cowboy  story  been  told." — Philadelphia  Public  Ledger. 

"  A  remarkable  book  in  its  strength^  of  portrayal  and  its  directness 
of  development.  It  cannot  be  read  without  being  remembered." — The 
World  To-Day. 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


By   WILL    LEXINGTON    COMFORT 

She   Buildeth    Her   House 

4 'The  Strongest  American  Novel" 
Chicago  Journal. 

SELDOM  has  the  author  of  a  first  great  novel  so  brilliantly 
transcended  his  initial  success.     A  man  and  a  woman  in- 
spiringly  fitted  for  each  other  sweep  into  the  zone  of  mutual 
attraction  at  the  opening  of  the  story.     Destiny  demands  that 
each  overcomes  certain  formidable   destructible  forces  before 
either  is  tempered  and  refined  for  the  glorious  Union  of  Two  to 
form  One. 

With  colored  frontispiece,  by  Martin  Justice. 
Decorated  cloth,  net  $1.25 


Routledge  Rides  Alone 

"A  gripping  story.  The  terrible  inten- 
sity of  the  writer  holds  one  chained  to 
the  book." — Chicago  Tribune. 

MR.  Comfort  has  drawn  upon  two  practically  new  story 
places  in  the  world  of  fiction  to  furnish  the  scenes  for  his 
narrative — India  and  Manchuria  at  the  time  of  the  Russo- 
Japanese  War.     While  the  novel  is  distinguished  by  its  clear  and 
vigorous  war  scenes,  the  fine  and  sweet  romance  of  the  love  of 
the  hero,  Routledge — a  brave,  strange,  and  talented  American — 
for  the  "most  beautiful  woman  in  London"   rivals  these  in 
interest. 

With  colored  frontispiece  by  Martin  Justice, 
ismo.     Cloth,  with  inlay  in  color  $1.50. 

J.   B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


ROMANCES  by  DAVID  POTTER 
The  Lady  of  the  Spur 

THE  scenes  of  this  delightful  romance  are  set  in  the  south- 
western part  of  New  Jersey,  during  the  years  1820-30. 
An  unusual  situation  develops  when  Tom  Bell,  a  quondam 
gentleman  highwayman,  returns  to  take  up  the  offices  of  the 
long-lost  heir,  Henry  Morvan.    Troubles  thicken  about  him  and 
along  with  them  the  romance  develops.     Through  it  all  rides 
"The  Lady  of  the  Spur"  with  a  briskness,  charm,  and  mystery 
about  her  that  give  an  unusual  zest  to  the  book  from  its  very 
first  page. 

Third  edition.    Colored  frontispiece  by  Clarence  F.  Underwood. 

Cloth,  $1.50. 


I  Fasten  a  Bracelet 

1  \  THY  should  a  young  well-bred  girl  be  under  a  vow  of 

y  V    obedience  to  a  man  after  she  had  broken  her  engagement 

to  him  ?  This  is  the  mysterious  situation  that  is  presented 

in  this  big  breezy  out-of-doors  romance.     When  Craig  Schuyler, 

after  several  years'  absence,  returns  home,  and  without  any 

apparent  reason  fastens  on  Nell  Sutphen  an  iron  bracelet.  A  se- 

quence of  thrilling  events  is  started  which  grip  the  imagination 

powerfully,  and  seems  to  "  get  under  the  skin."    There  is  a  vein 

of  humor  throughout,  which  relieves  the  story  of  grimness. 

Frontispiece  in  color  by  Martin  Justice. 

lamo.    Decorated  cloth,  $1.25  net. 

An  Accidental  Honeymoon 

A  SPARKLING  and  breezy  romance  of  modern  times,  the 
f\  scenes  laid  in  Maryland.  The  plot  is  refreshingly  novel 
and  delightfully  handled.  The  heroine  is  one  of  the 
"  fetchingest  "  little  persons  in  the  realms  of  fiction.  The  other 
characters  are  also  excellently  drawn,  each  standing  out  clear  and 
distinct,  even  the  minor  ones.  The  dialogue  of  the  story  is  re- 
markably good,  and  through  it  all  runs  a  vein  of  delightful  humor, 

Eight  illustrations  in  color  by  George  W.  Gage. 
Marginal  decorations  on  each  page. 
i  amo.     Ornamental  cloth,  $1.35  net. 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


By    ELIZABETH    DE  JEANS 

The  Winning  Chance 

Frontispiece  in  color  by  Gayle  P.  Hoskins. 
I2mo.    Ornamental  cloth,  $1.50. 

WE  have  no  hesitancy  in  pronouncing  this  powerful  story 
one  of  the  most  impressive  studies  of  our  highly  nervous 
American  life  that  has  been  published  in  a  long  while. 
It  is  written  with  enormous  vitality  and  emotional  energy.    The 
grip  it  takes  on  one  intensifies  as  the  story  proceeds. 

The  Heart  of  Desire 

Illustrations  in  colors  by  The  Kinneys. 
I2mo.     Ornamental  cloth,  $1,50. 

A  REMARKABLE  novel,  full  of  vital  force,  which  gives  us 
a  glimpse  into  the  innermost  sanctuary  of  a  woman's  soul 
—  a  revelation  of  the  truth  that  to  a  woman  there  may  be 
a  greater  thing  than  the  love  of  a  man  —  the   story  pictured 
against  a  wonderful  Southern  California  background. 

The  Far  Triumph 

Illustrated  in  color  by  Martin  Justice. 
I2mo.     Ornamental  cloth,  $1.23  net. 

HERE  is  a  romance,  strong  and  appealing,  one  which  will 
please  all   classes  of  readers.     From  the  opening  of  the 
story  until  the  last  word  of  the  last  chapter  Mrs.  Dejeans' 
great  novel  of  modern  American  life  will  hold  the  reader's  un- 
flagging interest.     Living,  breathing  people  move  before  us, 
and  the  author  touches  on  some  phases  of  society  of  momentous 
interest  to  women  —  and  to  men. 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SANTA  CRUZ 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  DATE  stamped  below. 


1 


50m-l,'69(J5643s8)2373 — 3A.1 


STORED  AT  NSI 


3  2106  00212  0043 


